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News18
2 hours ago
- Sport
- News18
WATCH: Lionel Messi Turns Back The Clock With Scintillating Freekick At FIFA Club World Cup
Last Updated: Lionel Messi's freekick secured Inter Miami's 2-1 win over Porto at the FIFA Club World Cup, marking the first competitive victory for an MLS team over European opposition. Class is permanent and timeless. And Inter Miami's Lionel Messi proved it yet again, as the Argentine curled in a peach of a freekick to score the winner for Inter Miami in their 2-1 upset of Porto at the FIFA Club World Cup on Thursday. The World Cup-winning Argentine, who has made scoring freekicks his bread and butter, wound the clock back to produce yet another magical moment and seal the unexpected win for the MLS team, significantly boosting their chances of advancing from Group A. Messi's goal, which turned out to be the difference maker, marked the first competitive victory for an MLS side over European opposition, following Chelsea's win over Los Angeles FC earlier in the week. 'It's a huge joy, the whole team made a big effort, we worked really well," Messi told DAZN. 'It's a really important win for us and we have to enjoy it. You can see that we want to compete, and today we competed against a really good European team. We knew that today we were weaker, but we had our strengths." Inter Miami and Palmeiras each have four points, following the Brazilian side's 2-0 win over Al Ahly earlier. Al Ahly and Porto both have one point. '(Messi) is a leader, he's the greatest player in the world," Inter Miami forward Fafa Picault told DAZN. Following Messi's tiebreaker, Inter Miami fought hard during stoppage time to keep Porto at bay, as Mascherano's players threw themselves in front of shots in a manner reminiscent of the former Argentine defensive midfielder, ultimately securing their much-desired victory. 'Beyond his goal… he's a player who shows us how to compete, his hunger, his desire to continue competing at whatever level it is," Mascherano told reporters. 'In a footballing sense, what else is there to say? He's the best player that has played this sport in its history, but what is surprising is his will to win. 'Today, even in the last minutes, tired, with a knock, he kept helping the team in any way he could, in attack, in defence, to get the result… 'We know having him gives us an advantage, but above all, through his contagious spirit, the winning spirit that he has."
The South African
2 hours ago
- Sport
- The South African
Lionel Messi free-kick magic helps Inter Miami stun Porto at Club World Cup
A Lionel Messi trademark free-kick earned Inter Miami a shock 2-1 comeback win against Porto in the Club World Cup on Thursday. The Argentine superstar found the top corner with a second half set-piece to clinch a surprise victory for the MLS side and give them a strong chance of progressing from Group A. Inter Miami and Palmeiras have four points each, after the Brazilian side beat Al Ahly 2-0 earlier on – the Egyptians like Porto have one point. Samu Aghehowa's early penalty gave the Portuguese side the lead as they had the better of the first half and could have scored more. However Telasco Segovia blasted Miami level and then Lionel Messi's free-kick helped them claim a noteworthy scalp, in a match many thought would be straightforward for Porto. Co-owned by former England international David Beckham, Inter Miami played their first MLS match in 2020 and signed Messi in 2023, raising their profile significantly. This was the first competitive victory for an MLS side over European opposition, in their second encounter after Chelsea beat Los Angeles FC earlier in the week. 'It's a huge joy, the whole team made a big effort, we worked really well,' Messi told DAZN. 'It's a really important win for us and we have to enjoy it… 'You can see that we want to compete, and today we competed against a really good European team… we knew that today we were weaker, but we had our strengths.' Even with Messi, arguably the face of the tournament, the Mercedes-Benz Stadium was under half-full at kick-off, hamstrung by another 15:00 kick-off on a working day as it was for Chelsea's opener at the venue. More fans entered throughout the game, keen to get a glimpse of the 37-year-old widely considered to be the game's greatest ever player, with nearly 32 000 present in the end. Lionel Messi did not disappoint and was the game's outstanding player, involved heavily from the off. The former Barcelona great clipped a dipping ball in behind for veteran striker Luis Suarez, who could only prod it at the goalkeeper. Porto took the lead in the eighth minute after being awarded a soft penalty after a VAR review, as Miami defender Noah Allen made light contact with Joao Mario in the box. Spain international Samu Aghehowa beat Oscar Ustari, who had saved a penalty in the goalless draw against Al Ahly, even though the stopper got a hand to his low effort. Uruguayan striker Suarez, 38, might have levelled after Messi threaded him through on goal but, forced to use his weaker left foot, Porto goalkeeper Claudio Ramos denied him. Javier Mascherano's side almost levelled through US international Benjamin Cremaschi after a charge forward from Suarez broke open Porto's defence, but Ramos made a smart near post stop to thwart him. Maximiliano Falcon brilliantly headed off his own goal-line with Ustari beaten by Rodrigo Mora's effort to keep Inter Miami hopes alive. Ustari denied Aghehowa and then scrambled the ball to safety as it rolled towards his net after Alan Varela crashed a shot off the upright and it hit him on the back, as Porto turned the screw before the break. Inter Miami levelled right at the start of the second half, with Segovia blasting home Marcelo Weigandt's inviting cut-back to stun the Portuguese side. Messi then sent Miami ahead with a goal all of his own making after 54 minutes. The playmaker was brought down outside the area and dusted himself down before arrowing a classic Lionel Messi free-kick into the top right corner. '(Messi) is a leader, he's the player he is, he's the greatest player in the world,' Inter Miami forward Fafa Picault told DAZN. 'I had a feeling (the free-kick) was going in. That was a great goal, a great show of leadership and coming in a clutch moment for us.' Miami battled hard to keep Porto at bay and groans travelled around the stadium after seven minutes of stoppage time was announced. Mascherano's players threw themselves in the way of shots in a way the former Argentine defensive midfielder would have done himself, and Inter Miami were eventually able to claim their much-craved victory. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news. By Garrin Lambley © Agence France-Presse
Eyewitness News
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Eyewitness News
Messi strikes as Inter Miami stun Porto at Club World Cup
ATLANTA - A Lionel Messi trademark free-kick earned Inter Miami a shock 2-1 comeback win against Porto in the Club World Cup on Thursday. The Argentine superstar found the top corner with a second half set-piece to clinch a surprise victory for the MLS side and give them a strong chance of progressing from Group A. Inter Miami and Palmeiras have four points each, after the Brazilian side beat Al Ahly 2-0 earlier on - the Egyptians like Porto have one point. Samu Aghehowa's early penalty gave the Portuguese side the lead as they had the better of the first half and could have scored more. However Telasco Segovia blasted Miami level and then Messi's free-kick helped them claim a noteworthy scalp, in a match many thought would be straightforward for Porto. Co-owned by former England international David Beckham, Inter Miami played their first MLS match in 2020 and signed Messi in 2023, raising their profile significantly. This was the first competitive victory for an MLS side over European opposition, in their second encounter after Chelsea beat Los Angeles FC earlier in the week. "It's a huge joy, the whole team made a big effort, we worked really well," Messi told DAZN. "It's a really important win for us and we have to enjoy it... "You can see that we want to compete, and today we competed against a really good European team... we knew that today we were weaker, but we had our strengths." Even with Messi, arguably the face of the tournament, the Mercedes-Benz Stadium was under half-full at kick-off, hamstrung by another 3:00 pm kick-off on a working day as it was for Chelsea's opener at the venue. More fans entered throughout the game, keen to get a glimpse of the 37-year-old widely considered to be the game's greatest ever player, with nearly 32,000 present in the end. Messi did not disappoint and was the game's outstanding player, involved heavily from the off. The former Barcelona great clipped a dipping ball in behind for veteran striker Luis Suarez, who could only prod it at the goalkeeper. Porto took the lead in the eighth minute after being awarded a soft penalty after a VAR review, as Miami defender Noah Allen made light contact with Joao Mario in the box. Spain international Samu Aghehowa beat Oscar Ustari, who had saved a penalty in the goalless draw against Al Ahly, even though the stopper got a hand to his low effort. Uruguayan striker Suarez, 38, might have levelled after Messi threaded him through on goal but, forced to use his weaker left foot, Porto goalkeeper Claudio Ramos denied him. Javier Mascherano's side almost levelled through US international Benjamin Cremaschi after a charge forward from Suarez broke open Porto's defence, but Ramos made a smart near post stop to thwart him. Maximiliano Falcon brilliantly headed off his own goal-line with Ustari beaten by Rodrigo Mora's effort to keep Inter Miami hopes alive. Ustari denied Aghehowa and then scrambled the ball to safety as it rolled towards his net after Alan Varela crashed a shot off the upright and it hit him on the back, as Porto turned the screw before the break. 'CLUTCH MOMENT' Inter Miami levelled right at the start of the second half, with Segovia blasting home Marcelo Weigandt's inviting cut-back to stun the Portuguese side. Messi then sent Miami ahead with a goal all of his own making after 54 minutes. The playmaker was brought down outside the area and dusted himself down before arrowing a classic Messi free-kick into the top right corner. "(Messi) is a leader, he's the player he is, he's the greatest player in the world," Inter Miami forward Fafa Picault told DAZN. "I had a feeling (the free-kick) was going in. That was a great goal, a great show of leadership and coming in a clutch moment for us." Miami battled hard to keep Porto at bay and groans travelled around the stadium after seven minutes of stoppage time was announced. Mascherano's players thew themselves in the way of shots in a way the former Argentine defensive midfielder would have done himself, and Inter Miami were eventually able to claim their much-craved victory.
Iraqi News
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Iraqi News
Messi strikes as Inter Miami stun Porto at Club World Cup
Atlanta – A Lionel Messi trademark free-kick earned Inter Miami a shock 2-1 comeback win against Porto in the Club World Cup on Thursday. The Argentine superstar found the top corner with a second half set-piece to clinch a surprise victory for the MLS side and give them a strong chance of progressing from Group A. Inter Miami and Palmeiras have four points each, after the Brazilian side beat Al Ahly 2-0 earlier on — the Egyptians like Porto have one point. Samu Aghehowa's early penalty gave the Portuguese side the lead as they had the better of the first half and could have scored more. However Telasco Segovia blasted Miami level and then Messi's free-kick helped them claim a noteworthy scalp, in a match many thought would be straightforward for Porto. Co-owned by former England international David Beckham, Inter Miami played their first MLS match in 2020 and signed Messi in 2023, raising their profile significantly. This was the first competitive victory for an MLS side over European opposition, in their second encounter after Chelsea beat Los Angeles FC earlier in the week. Even with Messi, arguably the face of the tournament, the Mercedes-Benz Stadium was under half-full at kick-off, hamstrung by another 3:00 pm kick-off on a working day as it was for Chelsea's opener at the venue. More fans entered throughout the game, keen to get a glimpse of the 37-year-old widely considered to be the game's greatest ever player, with nearly 32,000 present in the end. Messi did not disappoint and was the game's outstanding player, involved heavily from the off. The former Barcelona great clipped a dipping ball in behind for veteran striker Luis Suarez, who could only prod it at the goalkeeper and had strayed offside in any case. Porto took the lead in the eighth minute after being awarded a soft penalty after a VAR review, as Miami defender Noah Allen made light contact with Joao Mario in the box. Spain international Samu Aghehowa beat Oscar Ustari, who had saved a penalty in the goalless draw against Al Ahly, even though the stopper got a hand to his low effort. Uruguayan striker Suarez, 38, might have levelled after Messi threaded him through on goal but, forced to use his weaker left foot, Porto goalkeeper Claudio Ramos denied him. Javier Mascherano's side almost levelled through US international Benjamin Cremaschi after a charge forward from Suarez broke open Porto's defence, but Ramos made a smart near post stop to thwart him. Maximiliano Falcon brilliantly headed off his own goal-line with Ustari beaten by Rodrigo Mora's effort to keep Inter Miami hopes alive. Ustari denied Aghehowa and then scrambled the ball to safety as it rolled towards his net after Alan Varela crashed a shot off the upright and it hit him on the back, as Porto turned the screw before the break. – Miami comeback – Inter Miami levelled right at the start of the second half, with Segovia blasting home Marcelo Weigandt's inviting cut-back to stun the Portuguese side. Messi then sent Miami ahead with a goal all of his own making after 54 minutes. The playmaker was brought down outside the area and dusted himself down before arrowing a classic Messi free-kick into the top right corner. Miami battled hard to keep Porto at bay and groans travelled around the stadium after seven minutes of stoppage time was announced. Mascherano's players thew themselves in the way of shots in a way the former Argentine defensive midfielder would have done himself, and Inter Miami were eventually able to claim their much-craved victory.
NDTV
3 hours ago
- Sport
- NDTV
"Best Player In History": Lionel Messi's Hunger At Age 37 Stuns Inter Miami Coach Javier Mascherano
Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano admitted he is surprised at Lionel Messi's desire to win after the MLS side shocked Porto at the Club World Cup on Thursday. Veteran playmaker Messi curled home a fine free-kick in a man-of-the-match performance at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, the winning goal in Miami's 2-1 Group A victory over their Portuguese opponents. Mascherano said his Argentine compatriot's competitive spirit at 37 was more surprising to him than the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner's quality. "Beyond his goal... he's a player who shows us how to compete, his hunger, his desire to continue competing at whatever level it is," Mascherano told reporters. "In a footballing sense, what else is there to say? He's the best player that has played this sport in its history, but what is surprising is his will to win. "Today, even in the last minutes, tired, with a knock, he kept helping the team in any way he could, in attack, in defence, to get the result... "We know having him gives us an advantage, but above all, through his contagious spirit, the winning spirit that he has." Many expected Porto to beat Inter Miami but the American side recorded a first ever victory in a competitive match for an MLS team against European opposition and the first shock at the Club World Cup. "I think that we understood that in football there are obviously hierarchies, and we were facing against a team at a high level, with international players," said Mascherano. "But we were convinced that if we did what we had to do, if we had a plan, if we supported each other, if we were together, but above all, if we dared to play, we could compete." Samu Aghehowa netted a first-half penalty for Porto but Telasco Segovia and Messi's strikes after the break earned Inter Miami victory which puts them level on four points with Palmeiras at the top of the group. "What I told them (at half-time) was... to raise their spirits, because we had clearly showed we could compete, and that we had reached a moment where I didn't care about the result," added Mascherano. "What I was interested in was showing we were capable of playing with and without the ball, and they understood, they picked themselves up and in the end it was a great afternoon for us."
