Inter Miami, led by superstar Lionel Messi, pulled off a remarkable upset by defeating the Philadelphia Union 4-1 in the Leagues Cup semifinal on Tuesday night.
Messi scored his ninth goal in six games in the tournament with a brilliant strike from outside the box in the 20th minute, while Josef Martínez, Jordi Alba and David Ruiz added to the scoreline for the visitors. Alejandro Bedoya scored a consolation goal for the hosts, who had lost only one of their previous 41 home games.
The result means that Inter Miami, who are bottom of the MLS Eastern Conference, will play in their first final since joining the league in 2020. They will also qualify for the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup, a competition they have never participated in before.
Inter Miami will face either Monterrey or Nashville SC in the Leagues Cup final on Saturday, hoping to cap off an incredible run that has seen them win all six games since Messi’s arrival from FC Barcelona.
Messi, who is 36 years old and had no pre-season training, has been the driving force behind Inter Miami’s transformation, scoring or assisting 15 of their 21 goals in the Leagues Cup. He has also formed a formidable partnership with his former Barcelona teammates Alba and Sergio Busquets, who joined him in Miami along with Paraguayan international Diego Gómez and two young Argentine prospects, Facundo Farías and Tomás Avilés.
“We have to be happy and enjoy the moment,” Martínez said after the game. “It’s a big chance for us, for the team, for the ball club – the first final. We have to fight for that. We’re happy.”
