Lionel Messi showcased his brilliance as he provided two assists and converted a crucial penalty kick, guiding Inter Miami CF to a gripping 5-4 penalty shootout win over FC Cincinnati after an intense 3-3 draw. This triumph propels Inter Miami to the highly anticipated 2023 US Open Cup Final.
In a captivating match, Miami was trailing 2-0 beyond the 60th minute. However, the reigning World Cup champion, Messi, combined with Leonardo Campana twice to level the score, leading the match into extra time on the Wednesday night encounter. In the 93rd minute, Josef Martínez, the 2019 Open Cup champion, gave the Herons a 3-2 lead. Yet, the dramatics continued as FC Cincinnati’s Yuya Kubo found the net in the 114th minute, equalizing the score and sending the contest to a penalty shootout.
In the penalty shootout, Miami’s goalkeeper Drake Callender displayed heroics by saving the fifth-round attempt from Cincinnati’s Nick Hagglund. Subsequently, Benjamin Cremaschi confidently converted his kick, securing Inter Miami’s place in its first U.S. Open Cup Final. This achievement marks the club’s second championship match in the year 2023.
Inter Miami CF is now set to face Houston Dynamo in the final showdown, scheduled for September 27. With aspirations of clinching its second trophy of the year, the club is poised for an intense battle in pursuit of US Open Cup glory.
-IANS
