Magical Lionel Messi Earns Shock Inter Miami Win
Inter Miami has defeated FC Porto 2-1 at the FIFA 2025 Club World Cup. It's a shock result that puts Lionel Messi's MLS side second in Group A.
The moment that Inter Miami was waiting for. The moment that Lionel Messi was waiting for. The moment that Gianni Infantino was waiting for. A simply stunning free-kick from Messi to put the MLS side 2-1 up against FC Porto. Finally some real stardust has been sprinkled over this tournament.
Trademark Messi from the edge of the box. The Argentina legend stepped up and rasped the ball into the top corner. The free-kick position was so central that Messi might have gone either way, the goalkeeper dared not guess but then he was beaten on his own side. He didn't even see it coming.
It was a genius strike from the number 10. Impeccable execution, hit with purpose, this was vintage Lionel and he has finally left his mark on this tournament.
A shock result from the Mercedes-Benz stadium in Atlanta, and a historic one for the MLS. When Lionel Messi put Luis Suárez through on goal in the first half it was still 1-0 to Porto, and Suárez squandered the opportunity. He looked a million miles off the player he used to be. The Uruguayan was well off the pace and that summed up Miami's championship until that point.
Miraculously, that all changed in the second period. Inter Miami were 2-1 up in the 54th minute and held onto that result to leapfrog the Portuguese side in the group. The first shock victory of the tournament has been produced by David Beckham's veteran stars.
The result also means that Brazilian side Palmeiras will confirm top of the group by drawing their final game with Inter Miami. Plameiras defeated Al Ahly earlier on Thursday. This would be fantastic news for South American football after an already brilliant start to the tournament for the CONMEBOL teams.
In the final round of games, Inter Miami will face off with Palmeiras of Brazil, and Porto will take on Al Ahly. It's still all to play for. A heavy victory or defeat for each team could leave them in or out of the tournament on match day three of the group stage.
Inter Miami looked down and out in this tournament. The team didn't show up in their opener against Al Ahly and they didn't start strong against Porto either. Miami was 1-0 down after just eight minutes and it's fair to say that everyone would have written off the South Florida side from group progression at that point. Now the men in pink can make a shock escape from this extremely tight group.
Al Ahly and Porto need to win and hope Inter Miami and Palmeiras don't draw on the final day of group games. That result would confirm the exit of Al Ahly and Porto from the tournament no matter who wins their game. Therefore, a cagey low scoring draw could be the obvious outcome when the MLS side take on the Brazilians.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
32 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Key takeaways from Bengals OTAs
The Cincinnati Bengals are cruising through the offseason now that mandatory minicamp has concluded, and I'm here to break down what you've missed — just in case you haven't been paying attention. We'll start with the black cloud: Trey Hendrickson's very public contract dispute This back-and-forth has cast a shadow over everything else this offseason. The Bengals' defense allowed an appalling 434 points last year, dragging down Joe Burrow and an otherwise explosive offense and leaving the team with a disappointing 9-8 record. Advertisement Now, they're playing a game of chicken with the only proven pass rusher on the roster. Whether you're on Team Bengals or Team Hendrickson, there's no denying his absence is hurting the team. We're not done with contract issues The Bengals used their first-round pick on Texas A&M edge rusher Shemar Stewart, who could, in theory, take Hendrickson's place — if he weren't standing on the sideline alongside him. Stewart, too, is in a contract dispute with the front office and remains one of the few unsigned first-round picks from this year's draft. Guard overhaul under Scott Peters The Bengals cut Alex Cappa and restructured Cordell Volson's deal after both struggled to protect Burrow from interior pressure last season. They signed veteran G/C Lucas Patrick and drafted Dylan Fairchild out of Georgia. Advertisement Cody Ford, Volson, Matt Lee, Jaxson Kirkland, and others are all battling for roster spots, and it remains unclear who will start next to Ted Karras in Week 1 — or whether this revamped unit will be an improvement over last year's. All in on offense While new defensive coordinator Al Golden works to rebuild from the ashes of the 2024 squad, the Bengals appear all-in on their offense. Burrow is healthy, and he's surrounded by Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins — arguably the NFL's top WR duo — for at least the next few seasons. The plan for 2025 looks simple: score early, score often, and force opposing offenses into one-dimensional, catch-up mode. Hopefully, it works better this time than it did a year ago. Al Golden ushers in a new era of defensive success — hopefully Golden takes over for Lou Anarumo, now in Indianapolis, after the Bengals' defense played a leading role in keeping them out of the playoffs last year. Other than the rookies and a few rotational free agents, the 2025 defensive personnel looks very similar to 2024's — meaning it won't take long to see if coaching really was the problem. Advertisement Golden's full plans remain unclear, especially with Hendrickson and Stewart still absent. But frankly, it's going to be hard to be worse than last year's unit. Two players who drew good reviews in OTAs were veteran defensive tackle TJ Slaton and second-round rookie linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr. They may end up being the two biggest upgrades the Bengals defense gets this year, especially if Shemar Stewart continues to sit out and miss valuable development when training camp begins. Stadium upgrade plans Paycor Stadium's lease is quickly running out, and the Brown/Blackburn family is deep in negotiations with Hamilton County. Predictably, things in the Queen City are getting messy. Advertisement Expect this to get uglier before it gets resolved in the coming weeks. Not messing around During one OTA session, Burrow threw an interception on a pass intended for Mike Gesicki — one that Cam Taylor-Britt jumped for a pick. The corner, in need of a bounce-back year, wasn't shy about celebrating it. On the very next play, though, Burrow hit Chase deep, burning DJ Turner for what would've been a touchdown. That's the edge this team seems to have taken into the offseason. They took one on the chin last year and appear determined to prove it was an exception, not the rule. Spotlight on the front office The 2024 9-8 season will go down as one of the NFL's wildest statistical outliers. How many teams will you ever see with: Advertisement A quarterback posting 4,900 yards, 43 TDs, and 9 INTs, A wide receiver winning the Triple Crown, and A defensive end leading the league in sacks... Yet somehow miss the playoffs? The football world came down hard on the Bengals' front office this offseason — and deservedly so. Now, with public contract disputes and ugly stadium lease talks swirling, much of the goodwill earned from two deep playoff runs has been spent. All eyes are on the Brown/Blackburn family to right the ship. What were your biggest takeaways from OTAs? Let us know on Twitter and in the comments section! Who Dey!! More from
Yahoo
35 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Warriors Projected to Make 'Bold' 2025 NBA Draft Decision
Warriors Projected to Make 'Bold' 2025 NBA Draft Decision originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Despite the fact that the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers are still competing in the NBA Finals, the rest of the league is in full offseason mode. Nothing quite proved that like the Desmond Bane blockbuster that just took place. Advertisement The Golden State Warriors are undoubtedly planning away methodically as well. They have certainly had more than enough time after their second-round exit to the Minnesota Timberwolves. One of the biggest dates on the offseason calendar will be the NBA Draft set for June 25th and 26th. The Warriors have are preparing to add to a team looking for another championship with Stephen Curry. The Warriors will not have a huge hand to play, possessing only the 41st overall pick in the draft via the Miami Heat. However, what they do with that pick will still be an important and calculated decision. Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30).© Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report offered a bold prediction for what the Warriors do with their 2025 draft pick. The NBA writer confidently believed in what Golden State's plans for the event should be. Advertisement "Finding a new starting center to help preserve Draymond Green should be a priority this summer, although the Warriors won't find one this late in the draft," Swartz mentioned off the top. The Bleacher Report writer continued: "This team lacks a backup point guard behind Stephen Curry and should be eyeing older college players who can step in immediately to the back end of the rotation. West Virginia senior point guard Javon Small could be an option as he averaged 18.6 points and 5.6 assists this past season." -Greg Swartz The Warriors do not currently have a proper point guard projected to be on the roster for the 2025-26 season past Curry. Adding a ready-made option to help run the offense in Golden State next season is more 'obvious' than it is 'bold.' Related: Warriors' Jonathan Kuminga Named 'Fallback Option' For Kevin Durant Suitor Related: Warriors Urged to Land 21.2 PPG Wing in 'Ambitious' Move This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 17, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
35 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Warriors Predicted to Go International in NBA Draft to Address Key Need
Warriors Predicted to Go International in NBA Draft to Address Key Need originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Golden State Warriors have a few pivotal roster holes that need to be filled before entering into next season. The NBA Draft will provide them with an excellent opportunity to address at least one of those needs. Advertisement The Warriors will not have a first-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. That was handed over to the Miami Heat as a part of the trade that brought Jimmy Butler to the Bay Area. Their draft fortunes will be heavily tied to what they do with their lone selection at 41st overall. There are certainly a number of avenues for them to explore. May 4, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) celebrates with forward Draymond Green (23) after a play during game seven of the first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center.© Troy Taormina-Imagn Images Many have prognoses the Warriors to use pick number 41 to address the backup point guard position. A reliable presence off the bench would certainly help Golden State's offense next season. However, another standout need for the Warriors is the frontcourt. Running Draymond Green as the starting center moving forward will quickly wear out the aging star. Advertisement ESPN's most recent mock draft projected the Warriors to ensure that does not happen. ESPN had Golden State selecting Rocco Zikarsky out of the NBL with the 41st overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Zikarsky was once thought of as a potential lottery pick in the early-goings of the draft process for this season. However, an uneventful season, apart from injuries, led to his stock plummeting with the draft date in sight. Zikarsky played 20 games this past season. The Australian big man averaged 4.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 0.7 blocks in 12.1 minutes per game. This potential selection would represent a gamble on the upside that was originally thought to be there with the 7-foot-4-inch giant. Not only that, but the Warriors would be counting on the injury problems to not persist. Advertisement It would ultimately be a high risk, high reward move for Golden State. Related: Warriors Projected to Make 'Bold' 2025 NBA Draft Decision Related: Warriors' Jonathan Kuminga Named 'Fallback Option' For Kevin Durant Suitor This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 19, 2025, where it first appeared.
