KANSAS CITY, Kan. — In a display of his unmatched talent, Lionel Messi once again delivered for his team. The eight-time Ballon d’Or recipient netted the only goal of the game in the 56th minute, propelling Inter Miami to a narrow 1-0 victory over Sporting Kansas City during a frigid match on Wednesday night, part of the first round of the CONCACAF Champions Cup.
Sporting Kansas City’s head coach, Peter Vermes, acknowledged Messi’s impact, stating, “There’s one guy that can turn the game over, and he did.” Javier Mascherano, the head coach of Inter Miami, praised Messi’s performance, calling it “fantastic.”
Both squads faced difficulties maintaining their rhythm on the slick and hard playing surface, as temperatures dropped to 3 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 16 degrees Celsius) with a 9 mph wind, making it feel like minus 11 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 24 degrees Celsius) for the 15,178 fans in attendance at Children’s Mercy Park. “I’m very proud because I think it’s impossible to play in these conditions,” remarked Mascherano. “Is not human, you know. So I’m very proud, because they gave me 100%.”
Messi’s pivotal goal came when he received a pass from Sergio Busquets, expertly maneuvered around the closest defender, and fired a precise shot past keeper John Pulskamp. Mascherano noted, “Maybe for the people that know him, it’s normal because he did goals like this 1,000 times. But we are very lucky to have him here.”
Despite the defeat, Vermes expressed pride in his team’s performance, highlighting their ability to hinder Miami’s attacks effectively. “Outside of that (goal), I thought we were really good,” he commented. “We had some really good opportunities. I can’t say enough about our first performance, especially with such a young group of guys on the field, really good.”
The impact of Messi’s skills extends far beyond this match, according to Vermes, who emphasized that very few players around the world can influence a game like Messi can. “It’s not just us, it’s everybody,” he stated. “Nobody ever plays well against him. He can change the game himself. There really aren’t many players that you can say that about, across generations.” He went on to draw a parallel between Messi and the legendary Diego Maradona.
In the second half, Sporting KC pressed hard to equalize, but Inter Miami’s Oscar Ustari proved crucial, saving both of their shots on goal. Dániel Sallói had a notable chance when he broke free from Miami’s defense, yet his shot was aimed directly at Ustari. Erik Thommy also hit the left post in the 78th minute, but the play was called offside, nullifying the effort.
Inter Miami nearly scored first with a close attempt from Luis Suarez, whose shot missed the target. They had another opportunity in the 33rd minute when Tadeo Allende’s shot off a lob from Messi went wide. Sporting KC had their moment too, missing a chance to take the lead in the 36th minute when Dany Rosero’s header failed to connect properly.
Overall, Inter Miami slightly outperformed Sporting KC in the first half, recording seven shots to Sporting KC’s three, along with holding 60% of possession. The two teams are set to face off once again for the second leg of the knockout stage on Tuesday in Miami.
