Champions! Inter Miami, Lionel Messi prevail in penalty kicks for club’s first-ever title

Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba have only been a part of Inter Miami for weeks. They’ve already brought the club its first-ever trophy.

Inter Miami defeated Nashville SC in penalty kicks Saturday night to win the inaugural Leagues Cup.

The trio of superstars had their fingerprints on the match, converting all three of their penalty kicks. However, it was a complete team effort that went 11 rounds of the penalty shootout.

That meant all 10 field players attempted a kick, leaving the Leagues Cup final all up to the goalkeepers. Inter Miami’s Drake Callender was the hero, smashing his penalty try into the top shelf, then making a diving save to seal the win.

Callender was absolutely spectacular all night long, making a handful of key saves in regulation and 10 more during the penalty shootout. Inter Miami and Callender finish the Leagues Cup allowing just two goals in the final three games.

It wasn’t a powerful affair like Inter Miami’s last two matches, as they had to earn every yard up the field. Nashville was disciplined defensively, especially in maintaining its shape and limiting turnovers for Miami’s counterattack.

Messi gave Inter Miami a 1-0 lead in the 23rd minute, his tenth goal in his first seven games with the club. But Nashville drew even early in the second half from an own-goal.

The Leagues Cup title is Messi’s 44th trophy of his career.

A large contingent of Messi and Inter Miami fans were in attendance, sprinkling the stands with plenty of pink and white to mix with Nashville’s yellow.

Nashville came out aggressively, making sure they didn’t fall behind early like so many other Inter Miami opponents have. It worked well, with Miami not putting a shot on frame until the 21st minute.

But even so, it still didn’t prevent Inter Miami – particularly Messi – from striking first.

Messi delivered two minutes later with his iconic left-footed shot while cutting across the top of the penalty area.

Inter Miami attacked quickly on the foot of midfielder Robert Taylor, but his pass attempt was deflected by a Nashville defender. Of course, the ball landed in front of Messi with space, and just about everyone knew what was about to happen. Apple TV broadcaster Jake Zivin even shouted “uh-oh” as Messi won possession of the ball.

Messi cut to his left and patiently danced around a flat-footed defender. Then, he found his inch of opening and fired a shot into the top right corner of the net.

Nashville created numerous scoring chances before halftime, sending many crosses into Miami’s penalty box that were defended perfectly. Center-back Sergii Kryvtsov and Alba particularly played a big part in the effort, cleaning up all of the 50-50 balls played to their direction. By the time the halftime whistle was blown, Nashville led 0.17 to 0.03 in expected goals and 10-1 in crosses, but Inter Miami led the score at 1-0.

Forward Josef Martinez was relatively quiet on the night, but nearly scored in the opening minutes in the second half. Alba made a run and serviced a low cross to Martinez at the penalty spot, but his shot was blocked.

Seven minutes later, Nashville tied it at 1-1.

Midfielder Dixon Arroyo turned the ball over in Miami’s half, which eventually led to a Nashville corner kick. Nashville’s Fafá Picault dropped to his knees to head the ball toward the net, and it pinballed off Benjamin Cremaschi’s knee, then Callender’s leg and into the goal.

Inter Miami coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino made his first set of substitutions in the 68th minute, swapping Martinez and Cremaschi for forward Leonardo Campana and midfielder Diego Gomez.

Shortly after, Messi nearly tallied his fourth Inter Miami brace when he found space at the top of Nashville’s box, but his shot rang off the right post.

Callender then had to make one of his best saves of the night when Nashville counterattacked with Hany Mukhtar and forward Sam Surridge. Surridge got the shot, and Callender dove to his right for a glove stop.

Martino responded by making two more substitutions, inserting midfielders David Ruiz and Victor Ulloa for Taylor and Arroyo.

Callender kept the game alive in stoppage time, making a phenomenal save off a corner kick.

Then, Campana nearly won it in the final seconds of regulation when he found himself one-on-one with Nashville goalkeeper Elliot Panicco. Campana chipped the ball around Panicco toward the back post, but did so just a hair too far. He chased it down and slid to his bottom, but couldn’t get a clean touch on the open net before the ball dribbled out of bounds.

Messi took the first penalty kick, nonchalantly placing it into the net. Busquets did the same and Inter Miami’s next two scored as well.

Callender made a save in the second round, leaving Ulloa with a chance to win it in the fifth round. However, his shot to the left was saved by Panicco, extending the penalty shootout.

Both teams couldn’t stop scoring, bringing the shootout all the way to each team’s goalkeepers. Callender scored first, then came in the clutch with a save on Panicco.