Messi magic lifts Miami to first Leagues Cup title

NASHVILLE, Aug 20 (Agencies): Lionel Messi scored a screamer and won his first trophy in North American soccer as Inter Miami beat Nashville on penalties (10-9) after their 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 levelled 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 team-mates rushed to celebrate with the American goalkeeper, who had made some key saves late in the game to keep his team alive.

Miami, in their third season of existence, were rock bottom of Major League Soccer when Messi joined them a month ago but Messi, along with Spanish pair Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, has utterly transformed the team leading them 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 Wednesday has the chance to reach another final when his team take on Cincinnati in the semi-final of the US Open Cup.

This was not the dominant, entertaining Miami that in the past month has lit up the tournament, featuring MLS and Mexican Liga MX clubs, but the win was sweet nonetheless.

"I am very happy to win our first title in just one month, the club's first. The team is growing by leaps and bounds and we are very happy," said midfielder Busquets.

"We have infected the team with our spirit, our work, our character and experience. We are making a solid team ... And then we have Leo, who makes a difference because he's the best in the world."

Nashville set out with the clear intention to limit the impact of Busquets and by extension Messi and they were effective in forcing Miami to play a slower type of possession football, deeper in their own half.

Gary Smith's side sent an early warning that they could trouble Miami at set-pieces with Walker Zimmerman's header from a Lukas MacNaughton corner forcing Callender into a low save.

Miami were probing, with Messi dropping deeper and looking for gaps in the home defense.

But with Walker Zimmerman marshalling the back line well chances were hard to come by until Robert Taylor spun and turned and fired a fierce drive which Nashville keeper Elliot Panicco did well to keep out.

Three minutes later, Miami had the lead -- and the source of their breakthrough was no surprise.

Meanwhile, Messi became the most decorated player in soccer history Saturday following Inter Miami's Leagues Cup victory.

By spearheading the MLS side's quest for its first-ever trophy, the World Cup winner made history of his own,

The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner clinched the 44th title of glittering career, stretching from 2004 to 2023.

The Leagues Cup is his first trophy on American soil and comes just over a month since his arrival in South Florida.

It joins an almost over-flowing trophy cabinet, including 10 La Liga titles, four Champions League wins, seven Copa Del Reys, eight Spanish Super Cups, three FIFA Club World Cups, three UEFA Super Cups, the FIFA World Cup, the Finalissima, the Copa America, an Olympic Gold, a U20 World Cup, two Ligue 1 titles and one Trophée de Champions.