🎥 Messi dazzles again to send Miami to Leagues Cup final | OneFootball

Lionel Messi scored his ninth goal in six games to keep Inter Miami unbeaten since his signing and send the MLS side to the Leagues Cup final.

Scorers: Bedoya 73′ ; Martínez 3′, Messi 20′, Alba 45+3′, Ruiz 84′

Despite the matchup being billed as Inter Miami’s toughest test of the Messi era, the south Florida outfit were on top within minutes thanks to Josef Martínez, who darted in behind the Philadelphia defence before firing home inside five minutes.

It went from good to great as Messi bagged his ninth goal in six games with the club, and longest range strike since 2012, firing home a fizzing shot from outside the box to beat the diving keeper.

While Philadelphia tried to get back into the game, Messi’s men drove the final nail into the coffin with the last kick of the first half when Jordi Alba was played in behind before stabbing in their third on the night to silence Subaru Park.

Philadelphia legend Alejandro Bedoya would not let his side go out with a whimper however, coming off the bench to score and chip away at Miami’s lead with 20 minutes remaining.

Any chance of a Philadelphia comeback was killed in the dying minutes by second half substitute David Ruiz, whose goal capped off a dominant Miami performance and sent Tata Martino’s side to the Leagues Cup final.

Miami will now await the winner of Nashville and Monterrey.