Lionel Messi leads Inter Miami CF to their first League Cup victory.

Lionel Messi leads Inter Miami CF to their first League Cup victory.

Inter Miami overcame Nashville on penalties (10-9) following their spectacular performance in the League Cup final match, which ended 1-1 after 90 minutes courtesy to a screamer goal from Lionel Messi, giving him and the team their first trophy in North American football.

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

After Miami’s Leonardo Campana missed a last-second chance to win the game in regulation, the game was decided by a shoot-out, which resulted in a duel between the two keepers, with Miami’s Drake Callender saving Elliot Panicco’s attempt.

Penalties were awarded in the last minutes of the game since all ten outfield players had previously took their shots, with one miss for each side. Callender kept his calm with his shot before denying Panicco and starting the party.

The American goalie, who had made some key saves late in the game to keep his team’s lead intact, went to thank Messi and his teammates.

“The grit, just believing in ourselves and what we’re capable of.” “It’s something special, and I consider myself fortunate to be a part of it,” he remarked.

Miami, which is in its third season, has gone undefeated in the League Cup since signing Messi a month ago.

The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner has scored 10 goals in seven games and has the opportunity to reach another final when his team faces Cincinnati in the US Open Cup semi-finals on Wednesday.

This was not the dominant, entertaining Miami that has lit up the competition, which includes MLS and Mexican Liga MX clubs, over the last month, but the victory was sweet nonetheless, according to AFP.

“It was thrilling. “The draw was a fair result, and the luck of the champion, which in this case came in our favour,” remarked Spaniard Sergio Busquets.

“I am overjoyed to have won our first title in less than a month, as well as the club’s first.” “The team is expanding at a rapid pace, and we are very pleased,” he said. “We infected the team with our spirit, work, character, and experience.” We’re forming a strong team… Then there’s Leo, who 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.

Miami tried to score, but Walker Zimmerman’s backline defence thwarted their efforts.

Three minutes later, Robert Taylor’s powerful shot, which Nashville keeper Elliot Panicco saved, giving Miami the lead.