“What a moment for our team” - David Beckham elated as Lionel Messi-led Inter Miami secure Leagues Cup final spot for the first time in history
Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham was elated after Lionel Messi helped guide the Herons to a 4-1 win against Philadelphia Union in the Leagues Cup semi-final yesterday (August 15).
Not many expected Inter Miami to reach the Leagues Cup semi-finals, given their poor domestic form prior to the arrival of Lionel Messi on July 15. They are currently bottom of the MLS Eastern Conference with just 18 points.
However, Messi's arrival along with Barcelona legends Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba vastly changed the trajectory of the team. They beat the likes of Cruz Azul, Atlanta United, Orlando City, FC Dallas, and Charlotte FC with the Argentine ace scoring eight goals and providing one assist in five appearances.
Inter Miami had a real chance of making the finals last night and they did just that at Subaru Park. Josef Martinez struck first blood for the Herons in the third minute before Lionel Messi scored a stunning long-range goal in the 20th minute.
Jordi Alba scored his first goal for the club at the stroke of half-time to secure a commanding 3-0 lead going into the interval. Philadelphia's Alejandro Bedoya gave the home team some hope by scoring in the 73rd minute but David Ruiz netted just 11 minutes later to secure an impressive win for the Herons.
David Beckham was elated with his side's win and took to Instagram to celebrate:
"Another amazing night in Pink. What a moment for OUR team , OUR fans , OUR club. First final in our history @intermiamicf SO PROUD."
The Miami-based club are now in the Leagues Cup final and could win their first trophy ever. They face Nashville at Geodis Park on August 19.
Philadelphia vs Lionel Messi's Inter Miami: Exploring the stats from Leagues Cup semi-final clash
Lionel Messi's exceptional form continued as he scored yet another goal to take his tally to nine goals and one assist in six appearances. The Argentine superstar led Inter Miami to their most impressive win to date, beating high-flying Philadelphia Union 4-1 to book a spot in the Leagues Cup final.
Let's take a look at the stats to see how both sides actually performed on the pitch:
Inter Miami edged Philadelphia in possession, having 54% of the ball and completing 500 passes with an accuracy of 84%. In contrast, the latter only had control of 46% of the ball and registered 417 passes with an accuracy of 84%.
Surprisingly, it was Philadelphia who was more industrious in attack. They had a total of 16 shots with four being on target. Lionel Messi and Co. only had five shots in total with four being on target. Fortunately, they were able to make their efforts count, scoring four goals from them.