Messi leads Miami to first trophy

NASHVILLE

Lionel Messi scored a screamer and won his first trophy in North America as Inter Miami beat Nashville on penalties (10-9) after the final ended 1-1 in 90 minutes. 

The Argentine World Cup winner had put Miami ahead in the 24th minute with a wonder strike into the top corner but Fafa Picault leveled for Nashville in the second half.

After Messi hit the post and Leonardo Campana missed a last second chance to win the game in regulation for Miami, the game went to a shoot-out which ended in a duel between the two keepers and Elliot Panicco's shot being saved by Miami's Drake Callender.

Messi and his teammates rushed to celebrate with the American goalkeeper, who had made some key saves late in the game to keep his team alive.

Miami, in its third season of existence, was rock bottom of Major League Soccer when Messi joined the team a month ago but Messi, along with Spanish pair Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, has utterly transformed the team leading it on a seven-game unbeaten run to the League Cup title.

Co-owner David Beckham, who created the club, said he was stunned by the way the former Barcelona trio had been able to bring about change so quickly.

"It is like a movie, you watch these players play and it is, emotionally, everything about their play is beautiful," he said.

Seven-times Ballon d'Or winner Messi has now scored 10 goals in seven games in the pink shirt of his new club and on Aug. 23 has the chance to reach another final when his team takes on Cincinnati in the semifinal of the U.S. Open Cup.