Home MLS MLS Recap: Messi Brace, Including 80th-Minute Winner, Lifts Miami Past Colorado

MLS Recap: Messi Brace, Including 80th-Minute Winner, Lifts Miami Past Colorado

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MLS Recap: Messi Brace, Including 80th-Minute Winner, Lifts Miami Past Colorado 3-2
Messi nets winner as Miami beat rapids in Denver 

Messi’s brace, capped by an 80th-minute winner, gave Inter Miami a 3-2 win over Colorado in front of 75,824 fans at Denver’s NFL stadium.  


Inter Miami vs Colorado Rapids, Messi fires late winner as Miami edge Colorado to give new coach Hoyos first victory...


Lionel Messi handed Inter Miami’s new boss Guillermo Hoyos a 3-2 win over the Colorado Rapids with a double, capped by a stunning late decider in front of 75,000 Major League Soccer fans on Saturday

Moved to Denver’s massive NFL stadium to meet the huge demand to see Argentina’s World Cup-winning star, the match looked to be swinging Colorado’s way after the spirited hosts battled back from 2-0 down.




But Messi, who had already scored from the spot, had other plans. With just over 10 minutes left, the Argentine latched onto a through ball down the right from Rodrigo De Paul and burst forward.


He drove into the box and somehow squeezed a left-footed finish through three defenders and beyond the keeper into the far corner.


It gave Messi’s longtime friend Hoyos a victory on his debut as Miami coach, after Javier Mascherano left the club for “personal reasons” on Tuesday, just four months after leading them to their first MLS Cup title.


“We have the greatest player in history, someone who completely shifts the momentum of matches,” said a delighted Hoyos.


Hoyos, 62, kept changes minimal, most notably bringing in German Berterame for Tadeo Allende, who’s still recovering from a muscle injury.


The result lifts Inter Miami to second in the Eastern Conference.


“This continues the work we've been doing and the progress the team has been making - the team is the reigning MLS champion. We are a solid unit,” said Hoyos.


“Just look at the energy Inter Miami generates - how they've had to move to a larger stadium to accommodate it all - and contrast that with the quiet humility with which we have always tried to go about our business,” he added, in Spanish.


Playing in front of 75,824 fans - the second-largest crowd in MLS history - Miami started slowly but were gifted a prime chance.


As Colorado looked to play out from the back under Miami’s press, Josh Atencio gave away a penalty for tripping Yannick Bright inside the area.


After a lengthy VAR review, Messi stepped up and calmly rolled it down the middle as the keeper dived to his left.


Colorado kept the lion’s share of possession but rarely looked threatening.


Just before halftime, the Rapids gave the ball away in their own half. A Messi flick released Mateo Silvetti to deliver a cross for Berterame to nod home from close range.




The Rapids stormed back into the contest after the break.


Just before the hour, Rafael Navarro collected the ball inside his own half, surged through the middle, beat a defender with a clever feint, and buried a low finish into the bottom right.


Colorado coach Matt Wells reacted instantly, doubling down by sending on attacker Darren Yapi for Hamzat Ojediran.


It worked brilliantly.


Barely four minutes after their first, a pinpoint Lucas Herrington ball over the top released Yapi with a diagonal run to slot home the Rapids’ equaliser.


But Messi ended the home side’s comeback with his late heroics.




The game finished on a sour note as Bright was dismissed for using abusive language while protesting a yellow card shown to teammate Telasco Segovia.



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