Inter Miami prevailed in a dramatic comeback over FC Dallas on penalties (5-3) after clawing back in regulation, 4-4, to send the game to a shootout and eventually win to advance to the quarter-finals.
After Miami endured a feisty and physical battle against in-state rivals Orlando City, the temperature would be only increase in their clash with FC Dallas, figuratively and literally. As kick-off approached, temperatures in Frisco, Texas, at Toyota Stadium were around the 100 degree Fahrenheit mark, and the world was watching to see how Lionel Messi performed for the first time on the road as an Inter Miami player.
In Miami's first true attack in the game, Robert Taylor laid off a pass to the overlapping Jordi Alba, who was making his first start for the Herons, and Alba played a perfect cut-back pass to Messi who finished the move with ease from the edge of the box.
The goal was eerily similar to Messi's stoppage time winner against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu in April 2017, with the same pass that set up the goal and the same type of finish from the same area on the pitch. But head referee Cesar Palazuelos went to VAR to make sure that Josef Martinez wasn't in an offside position and in Maarten Paes' line of sight, and he eventually confirmed that he wasn't. Another goal for Messi with his new club, and Jordi Alba's first assist for Miami.
The Texans fired back with just under ten minutes remianing in the first 45. Left-back Marco Farfan sent in a tempting cross towards the center of Miami's 18-yard box, and Facundo Quingon smashed home past Drake Callender to level the game and send the home crowd into a frenzy. After one famous Argentine scored the opening goal, another not-as-famous Argentine found the equalizer.
The Western Conference side struck again as Alan Velasco played Jesus Ferreira through on a counter-attack, and the move seemed destined to end with a goal for Dallas. Ferreira then cut inside and laid a pass off to Bernard Kamungo, who went right around Kamal Miller with a simple turn and put his side in front with a clever low-driven shot.
Just after the hour mark, Dallas extended their lead to a two-goal cushion and made it 3-1 through a set piece. Alan Velasco' cross made its way past the Miami defense and bounced into the back of the net, and Callender wasn't able to get a glove to it.
Not even three minutes later, the Herons pulled one back after substitute Benjamin Cremaschi, who was introduced into the game a minute earlier, fired a shot from close-range home after another well-placed cut-back pass from Jordi Alba. Messi's pass to set Alba up was sublime, as he split couple of Dallas defenders in the process to help trim the defecit to one.
But that didn't last long. Taylor got back on the scoresheet - but put the ball in the wrong net as he was trying to intercept a cut-back pass from Paul Arriola. Miami thought they were back into the game, but Taylor helped reinstate Dallas' two goal lead to bring the game to 4-2 in favor of the hosts.
Miami brought the score back to within one when they benefitted from an own goal as Farfan, who scored earlier in the game, headed the ball into his own net from a Herons set piece. Messi crossed the ball in from a wide area and caused all kinds of trouble for the Dallas defense, and Farfan's error made it 4-3 to the Texans.
As if seven goals weren't enough in this thriller, Messi did what Messi does and he created a moment of magic by curling in another trademark free-kick from just outside the box. As is the case for most goalkeepers, there was no way Paes could keep that one from going in. At 4-4 with minutes to go in normal time, the game was destined for a penalty shootout.
In the end, the Herons' dramatic comeback was just enough to see them edge FC Dallas 5-3 on penalties to advance to the quarter-finals of the 2023 Leagues Cup. Messi continues to deliver (and carry) for Inter Miami, and who knows what's in store next for the south Florida side.
Inter Miami player ratings vs FC Dallas (4-3-3)
GK: Drake Callender - 5/10 - Wasn't much he could do on the first goal, but maybe could've done better on Kamungo's strike.
RB: DeAndre Yedlin - 6/10 - Made a terrific acrobatic clearance to stop a lobbed pass from reaching Jader Obrian in the first half. Had a quiet night other than that.
CB: Serhiy Kryvstov - 5/10 - Struggled to keep up with Dallas' left-sided attackers and had his work cut out for him against Velasco and Obrian.
CB: Kamal Miller - 6/10 - Didn't do enough on the second goal, allowed Kamungo to drive past him too easily. Made a great recovery tackle against Ferreira as he was through on goal and looked destined to score.
LB: Jordi Alba - 7.5/10 - Had a night to forget defensively, but was exceptional going forward with two assists.
CM: Dixon Arroyo - 5.5/10 - The midfielder neither helped nor hindered his side.
CM: Sergio Busquets - 6.5/10 - Remained steady as always in the middle of the park, pulling the strings, but didn't receive much help from his fellow midfielders.
CM: Diego Gomez - 5.5/10 - Was given the starting nod at left-central midfielder over Benjamin Cremaschi in an interesting decision by Martino, and he didn't really have much to show for his first start for Miami.
RW: Lionel Messi - 9/10 - He just had to open the scoring, and did so with a beautiful strike that resembled one of his goals in a certain El Clasico in 2017. He (along with Cremaschi) pulled Miami back into the game after another stunning free kick from the edge of the area.
ST: Josef Martinez - 5.5/10 - Had a quiet game and tried to link up with Messi around the box, but it just wasn't clicking.
LW: Robert Taylor - 4.5/10 - Didn't have the direct impact that we've seen in recent games, but still was involved in the buildup for Miami's opener. Only made things worse for his team by scoring an own goal right after they pulled one back.
Substitutes
CM: Benjamin Cremaschi (64' for Diego Gomez) - 8/10 - Came off the bench and provided an instant impact by scoring straight away. Scored the decisive penalty in the shootout to send Miami to the next round.
LW: Robbie Robinson (75' for DeAndre Yedlin) - N/A.
ST: Leonardo Campana ( for Josef Martinez) - N/A.
Manager
Gerardo 'Tata' Martino - 6.5/10 - Made an interesting choice to drop Cremaschi from the starting lineup, but perhaps he wanted to have more help in defense from his midfield (Cremaschi would be subbed on later and made Martino look somewhat silly by scoring right after coming on).
Player of the match - Lionel Messi (Inter Miami)
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This article was originally published on 90min as FC Dallas 4-4 Inter Miami: Player ratings as Herons advance in Leagues Cup on penalties .