June 20, (THEWILL) – Lionel Messi produced a moment of magic to fire Inter Miami to a stunning 2-1 comeback victory against Porto in the Club World Cup on Thursday, marking the first competitive win for an MLS side over European opposition. The Argentine icon’s trademark free-kick found the top corner with precision after 54 minutes, completing a remarkable turnaround at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The result leaves both Inter Miami and Palmeiras level on four points atop Group A, following the Brazilian club’s 2-0 victory over Al Ahly earlier in the day.
Porto had dominated the opening exchanges and took an early lead through Samu Aghehowa’s eighth-minute penalty, awarded after a VAR review deemed Noah Allen’s contact on Joao Mario sufficient for a spot-kick. The Portuguese side controlled much of the first half, with goalkeeper Claudio Ramos making crucial saves to deny Luis Suarez and Benjamin Cremaschi, while Maximiliano Falcon cleared off his own line to prevent a certain second goal. Despite Porto’s superiority, Inter Miami remained within touching distance thanks to some resolute defending and Oscar Ustari’s penalty-saving heroics from their previous match carrying over into confident shot-stopping.
The second half brought an immediate response from Javier Mascherano’s men, with Telasco Segovia hammering home Marcelo Weigandt’s cut-back just after the restart to level the contest. Six minutes later, Messi stepped up to a free-kick on the edge of the area and delivered the moment that has become synonymous with his career – a perfectly weighted strike that sailed into the top right corner, leaving Ramos with no chance. The 37-year-old’s involvement had been constant throughout the match, threading passes and creating opportunities even before his decisive intervention.
Inter Miami’s historic victory comes just two years after David Beckham’s co-owned franchise made their MLS debut in 2020, with Messi’s arrival in 2023 transforming their global profile dramatically. The attendance of nearly 32,000 fans gradually filled the stadium throughout the afternoon, drawn by the opportunity to witness the player widely regarded as football’s greatest talent. Although Thursday’s 3pm kick-off time on a working day initially hampered the crowd, but supporters filtered in steadily as word spread of the developing spectacle on the pitch.
The final moments tested Inter Miami’s resolve, with seven minutes of added time announced to groans from the home crowd, but Mascherano’s players threw themselves into blocks and tackles with the determination their former Argentina captain would have appreciated.
Jude Obafemi, THEWILL
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
