After a thrilling U.S. Open Cup semifinal victory over FC Cincinnati, Lionel Messi took a moment out of his post-game celebrations to make a gesture to a rival.
After extra time ended with a 3-3 tie and Inter Miami advanced to the U.S. Open Cup semifinal shootout against FC Cincinnati, Lionel Messi swapped shirts with fellow Argentinean international Luciano Acosta in the following minutes. Prior to Messi’s two assists, Acosta had scored Cincinnati’s opening goal of the game.
Before starting the jersey exchange, Messi patted Acosta’s son, who played youth soccer, on the head. And as she watched her father receiving a magnificent present from one of the greatest soccer players of all time, Acosta’s daughter appeared to beam.
Before parting ways, Messi and Acosta exchanged hugs. Messi went back to the celebrations in which he had a prominent role, while Acosta went to the devastated locker room where he wanted to find some happiness.
This was the second straight game in which Messi was handled competently but insufficiently by an opponent. Last Saturday, despite essentially cutting off Messi from his midfield teammates, Nashville SC was unable to stop him from seizing on a deflection and swiftly beating goalkeeper Elliot Panicco with a powerful shot. Nashville suffered a same shootout loss as Cincinnati.
Cincinnati used the Nashville game to develop their strategy for Wednesday night, but they were worried that even a tiny lapse in concentration may ruin their approach. Although I believed Nashville played a very nice game, it only takes a split second for him to make the difference. Prior to the Nashville game, Cincinnati head coach Pat Noonan said, “I think you saw that.
In Noonan’s words, “We just try to talk through the ways to either limit his ability to get on the ball, or when they do have the ball and when plays break down, because they will, try to recognize where he might show up to cause you some problems.”
A wide free-kick cross from Messi’s first assist reduced the score to 2-1. He has shown how dangerous it is to give Inter Miami any set pieces, and his chances he creates are too good to allow him stand over the ball. Since none of Noonan’s teammates exerted any pressure on Messi before he effortlessly lifted a long ball over the defense and into the path of Leonardo Campana, who scored to force extra time, Noonan was probably even more furious about the second one. It’s possible that Cincinnati’s defensive banks finally gave up after putting so much effort into marking Messi during the entire game.
In extra time, Josef Martinez and Yuya Kubo traded goals to force the shootout. Messi ran slowly up to the penalty spot and slipped it to Alec Kann’s left. Before 18-year-old Benjamin Cremaschi buried the game-winning penalty, Drake Callender, who was also the hero versus Nashville, stopped Nick Hagglund’s effort.
Manager Gerardo Martino claimed that each significant victory made the future of the Messi-led enterprise look more promising after Inter Miami defeated Nashville in the Leagues Cup final. He asserted that the shift in color could prompt ever-improved performance. After yet another incredible comeback on Wednesday night, the message struck home.
Martino stated, “Winning a competition like this when you’re trying to develop a team makes everyone’s enthusiasm and confidence grow. “Our future now appears to be much brighter.”