Inter Miami defeated Nashville on penalties (10-9) after their match finished 1-1 after 90 minutes thanks to a screamer goal from Lionel Messi, who also won his first trophy in North American soccer.

The World Cup winner from Argentina gave Miami the lead in the 24th minute with a spectacular shot into the top corner, but Nashville’s Fafa Picault equalized in the second half.

Messi struck the post, and Miami’s Leonardo Campana missed a last-second opportunity to win the game in regulation. As a result, the game went to a shootout, which culminated in a duel between the two goalkeepers and Miami’s Drake Callender save Elliot Panicco’s effort.

The American goalie, who had made some crucial saves late in the game to keep his team in the game, was hurried to join in the celebration by Messi and his teammates.

Messi, together with fellow Spaniards Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, completely altered Miami, who were at the bottom of Major League Soccer when he joined them a month ago. Miami went on a seven-game unbeaten streak to win the League Cup.

The club’s founder and co-owner David Beckham expressed his surprise at how swiftly the former Barcelona trio had been able to bring about change.

Watching these athletes play is “like watching a movie; everything about their play is beautiful from an emotional standpoint,” he remarked.

Seven-times Awarded the Ballon d’Or Messi has now scored 10 goals in seven games for his new team, and on Wednesday, when his squad plays Cincinnati in the US Open Cup semifinal, he has a chance to advance to a second final.

The victory was nonetheless delicious even if Miami was not the powerful, entertaining team that has dominated the tournament, which features teams from the MLS and Liga MX in Mexico, over the last month.

“I’m thrilled to have won the club’s first championship in just one month. We are thrilled with how quickly the team is progressing, said midfielder Busquets.

“We have spread our enthusiasm, work, character, and experience throughout the team. We are assembling a strong team. Then there is Leo, who is the best in the world and makes a difference.

Nashville went into the game with the explicit goal of limiting Busquets’ and subsequently Messi’s impact, and they were successful in making Miami play a slower style of possession football deeper in their own half.

By forcing Callender into a low save on Walker Zimmerman’s header from a Lukas MacNaughton corner, Gary Smith’s team gave Miami an early warning that they could cause trouble from set pieces.

Messi dropped deeper and looked for openings in the home defense as Miami probed.

However, Robert Taylor twisted and turned and hit a ferocious drive that Nashville keeper Elliot Panicco did well to keep out because Walker Zimmerman was managing the back line well.

Miami took the lead after three minutes, and the catalyst for their breakthrough was predictable.

After Taylor’s attempted inside pass was stopped, Messi sped by Zimmerman and created enough space to his left to unleash an unstoppable drive from more than 25 yards out that sailed into the top corner and past the defenseless Panicco.

Miami appeared to be in complete control and played with confidence that bordered on swagger, but things changed after the break.

Picault successfully headed in a corner kick that ricocheted off the feet of Benjamin Cremaschi and Callender at the back post.

Nashville gained confidence at this point, as their German forward Hany Mukhtar came to life, putting Miami to the test with his quick runs and Callender with a right-handed slam.

With a shot from just beyond the box in the 71st minute that scraped the outside of the post, Messi came dangerously close to another Hollywood ending.

Campana, a Miami teammate from Ecuador, should have won the match in the waning seconds when he rounded Panicco but from a tight angle could only hit the post with the goal at his disposal.

It came down to the goalkeepers in the penalty shootout after all 10 outfield players had missed one shot each. Callender maintained his composure with his shot before denying Panicco and starting the celebrations.

Argentine coach Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino appeared contemplative as the players sprayed champagne in the dressing area.

While competing in a seven-game tournament, he stated, “the most important thing we had to do was put together a team, and that’s very difficult to do.”

Our understanding of what the future might hold for us after capturing this title in 30 days has improved.