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Lionel Messi was at the center of the spotlight after he scored a brilliant brace and pulled off a 'Wakanda Forever' celebration. The seven-time Ballon d'Or helped Inter Miami defeat Orlando City 3-1 in the Leagues Cup Round of 32 at the DRV PNK Stadium yesterday (August 2).
The Argentine icon didn't take long to get into his groove for the MLS side after being officially confirmed as an Inter Miami player on July 15.
The 36-year-old scored a last-minute free-kick on his debut against Cruz Azul to win the game for his club. He then followed that up with a brace and assist against Atlanta United as Inter Miami won 4-0.
The club's two wins were enough to see them qualify for the knockout stages of the Leagues Cup. Inter Miami took the lead in the seventh minute when Lionel Messi expertly volleyed the ball into the top right corner following a sensational assist by Rob Taylor.
He pulled out a new celebration, standing with his arms folded across his chest, honoring Black Panther's iconic celebration:
Orlando City's Cesar Araujo found the back of the net 10 minutes later after he was unmarked following a corner. However, Josef Martinez gave Inter the lead again in the 51st minute, sending Pedro Gallese the wrong way with a cooly dispatched penalty.
Lionel Messi scored another superb goal in the 72nd minute to secure the win for his side. This took the 2022 FIFA World Cup winner to five goals and one assist in his three appearances to date.
The full match highlights can be viewed here.
Additionally, Messi's individual highlights can be viewed below:
Inter Miami are set to next face FC Dallas in the Leagues Cup Round of 16 on August 6.
Lionel Messi's Inter Miami vs Orlando City: Exploring the statistics from Leagues Cup Round of 32 clash
Lionel Messi was an integral part of Inter Miami dispatching Orlando City 3-1 as they continued their Leagues Cup campaign in style. But let's take a look at both teams' statistics to see how they performed on the pitch.
Tata Martino's men controlled the game, with 64% possession, compared to Orlando's 36%. Moreover, the former also had more shots with a total of 12 (with five on target), compared to the opposition's 11 (with three on target).
Inter Miami's hold of the game was evident in their passing as well. They completed 635 passes (with a pass accuracy of 89%) in contrast to Orlando's 342 (with a pass accuracy of 83%).
