Messi Brace Propels Inter Miami Past Orlando 3-1, On To The Round of Sixteen In Leagues Cup

DRV PNK Stadium- Lionel Messi netted a brace and Josef Martinez added a penalty kick goal to guide Inter Miami CF to a 3-1 victory over Orlando City SC and advance to the Leagues Cup Round of Sixteen. The Florida Derby had some tense and controversial moments, with referee Iván Arcides Barton Cisneros receiving scathing criticism from Orlando Coach Oscar Pareja after the match.

Kick Off

Versus Orlando City, the Herons repeated their 4-3-3 formation and the same Starting XI that accomplished a resounding win over Atlanta United. Newly acquired players Jordi Alba and Diego Gomez featured on the bench for the first time for Miami.

Starting XI for #InterMiamiCF 🆚 👿…Big rivalry game … First glimpse of #Messi𓃵 & Friends for Orlando…@DRVPNKStadium has to be a fortress tonight…#MLS #LeaguesCup2023 pic.twitter.com/VNem5rnJRm

— Xavier Guerrero (@XGLAVOZ) August 2, 2023

Orlando began the match by applying high pressure and forcing Inter Miami to play out wide and then back to their goalkeeper Drake Callender. Miami patiently touched the ball side to side until the ball was able to reach the City half of the pitch and onto the feet of the attacking specialists Robert Taylor and Lionel Messi.

The dynamic duo hooked up for a sublime score 7′ minutes into the match. Robert Taylor dribbled on the left flank and then cut in eluding Orlando defenders; Lionel Messi made a brilliant straight run into the box unmarked. Taylor perfectly lobbed the ball to Messi who brought it down with his chest blasting a left-footed fireball into the upper corner of Pedro Gallese’s net. Miami led 1-0.

MESSI X ROBERT TAYLOR BANGERS ONLY 🤯🤯

Taylor puts Messi in with the chip to give us the early lead over Orlando City.#MIAvORL | 📺#MLSSeasonPass on @AppleTV pic.twitter.com/kvb8Lmcccj

— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) August 3, 2023

The early score did not deter Orlando from sticking to their game plan, with the purple-clad visitors maintaining high pressure and creating dangerous counterattacks after Miami miscues.

A wonderfully executed set play off an Orlando corner kick caught Inter Miami off guard and led to the tying goal. Mauricio Pereyra touched the ball into Ivan Angulo who took a shot that was blocked wide by Drake Callender but landed neatly for Cesar Araujo to bang it in for the goal at the 17′ minute. It was a 1-1 game with less than twenty minutes played.

El empate de #VamosOrlando cayó rápidamente.

El 🇺🇾 César Araujo convierte el 1-1 tras rebotes en el área. ¡Partidazo en #LeaguesCup! pic.twitter.com/8tknNN5oe7

— MLS Español (@MLSes) August 3, 2023

The score gave Orlando new life and the squad began to play more on Miami’s side, with Angulo and McGuire giving Inter Miami’s defense some close calls. Despite their best efforts and some near goals, neither squad was able to score again before halftime.

The second half started similarly to the first with Orlando aggressively pressuring Miami high up the field. The Herons had some issues bringing the ball out of the back initially but at the 49′ minute, center-back Antonio Carlos was called for a penalty infraction on Josef Martinez.

Josef Martinez made a run behind Antonio Carlos who reached back and made contact with Martinez, Josef felt the contact and went down drawing the penalty call. The call came at a moment when Orlando seemed to be getting comfortable on the pitch and was argued mightily by the City players. The referee did not budge or check VAR and Josef Martinez lined up to take the kick.

Martinez has feasted on Orlando City throughout his MLS career and he nailed the kick past Gallese to give Miami the 2-1 lead.

Josef Martinez buries it 👑@InterMiamiCF takes a 2-1 lead over Orlando City. #LeaguesCup2023 pic.twitter.com/EwXVXqQwVT

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) August 3, 2023

Orlando City continued to battle valiantly but Miami sealed the match with a gorgeous third goal in the 72′ minute from Lionel Messi. The buildup to the goal was monumental.

Sergio Busquets gave the Goat a short pass in the middle of the pitch, and Messi dribbled lightning-quick forward laying a pass off to Robert Taylor on the left flank.  Taylor pushed forward and then sized up the City defenders before putting a picture-perfect pass to Josef Martinez in the box.

Martinez stopped the ball with his chest and then meticulously lobbed a left-footed pass to Messi who volleyed the ball into the Orlando net with his right foot. The dagger made it 3-1.

Doblete de MESSI 2️⃣#MIAvORL | 3-1 | 📺#MLSSeasonPass on @AppleTV pic.twitter.com/8ryNpYhBZK

— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) August 3, 2023

An extra-time score by Orlando was called back by VAR due to an offside on the play. The match would end 3-1 with Miami moving on to the Round of Sixteen in the Leagues Cup.

Postgame Press Conference

Orlando City Coach Oscar Pareja was not happy with referee Iván Arcides Barton Cisneros’ performance on Wednesday night. Pareja felt some of the calls were “unjust” and likened the match atmosphere to a circus. He was especially critical of the crucial penalty called against defender Antonio Carlos,

Today was a circus… The penalty kick was unbelievable, It’s unbelievable… I don’t know if the VAR came today….So if the VAR came today and we have referees there, then we have to be honest and go and see it, because the game deserves it.

The decision came at a moment when Orlando seemed to be gaining ground on Miami and playing closer to the Herons’ side of the pitch. It’s understandable to be frustrated when a call goes against your team, but I think Pareja exaggerated a bit when he said the call was “unbelievable”.

It looked like Martinez had beaten Carlos on a run in behind him and Carlos reached out and grabbed Martinez just enough to slow him down. Josef took a veteran dive and got a call from the referee. It could have gone either way and it went Miami’s way.

The same play in the middle of the pitch would get a foul call too, so it’s not unbelievable. Another referee might have let the play continue without incident and played on, but Barton did not.

Tata Martino was asked about Lionel Messi playing the entire match,

Lio always wants to play every game and every minute of the game

Lionel Messi did not come to Miami for a paid vacation, he came to win trophies. Messi did not come alone, he brought Busquets and Alba, two extraordinary talents in their own right. It’s encouraging to know that these elite players still have the competitive fire and desire to continue their winning ways in Miami.

Final Thoughts

Orlando City has been Inter Miami’s toughest opponent since Lio Messi’s arrival. City came into Drv Pnk Stadium well prepared and unfazed to play Inter Miami and Lionel Messi. The rugged and talented squad brought out the best and worse in Miami and Messi. The Herons prevailed with quality and some rough play of their own, I like it.

Benjamin Cremaschi is growing right before our very eyes, this man-child is playing next to two of the most accomplished players in the history of the game Messi and Busquets, yet he seems poised beyond his years. Cremaschi is growing in a big way this season on the pitch, Miami has a special one here.

Messi, Busi, Jordi, the Three Amigos are together again!  World Champions, elite players, and they play for your Inter Miami CF. This is going to be a fun ride. Enjoy the present, it’s laying the path for the future of this organization as a destination for world-class fútbol players.