Lionel Messi scored from the right side of the box in the 56th minute to lead Inter Miami to a 1-0 victory over Sporting Kansas City on a bitterly cold Wednesday night (February 19, 2025) in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup first round.
For much of the night in front of 15,178 bundled-up fans at Children’s Mercy Park, where the game-time temperature was 3 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 16 Celsius) with a wind speed of 9 mph, resulting in a wind chill of minus 11 Fahrenheit (minus 24 Celsius), both teams struggled to find consistency on the hard, slick field. According To TTC Sport
On his goal, Messi collected a pass from Sergio Busquets, let it fall to his feet, eluded the nearest defender and then fired it past Sporting KC keeper John Pulskamp.
Read Also:Cole Palmer Could Leave Chelsea If They Failed To Qualify For Champions League
Sporting KC remained on the front foot for the rest of the game in an attempt to tie the score, but Oscar Ustari saved both of the team’s second-half chances on goal. The best chance came when Dániel Sallói found himself open behind Miami’s defense, but his shot was right at Ustari.
Erik Thommy’s attempt to tie it in the 78th minute went off the left post, but it would not have counted since Sallói was judged offside.
Inter Miami almost took an early lead, but Luis Suarez’s shot from just inside the box was wide. Inter Miami had another chance in the 33rd minute, but Tadeo Allende’s attempt off a lob from Messi went wide.
COMMENTS