Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba take just SIX minutes to score a goal together in Inter Miami’s Leagues Cup game against Dallas
Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba take just SIX minutes to score a goal together in Inter Miami’s Leagues Cup game against Dallas
- Jordi Alba started his first game for Inter Miami against Dallas on Sunday evening
- Messi opened the scoring after a pass from his former Barcelona teammate
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Lionel Messi needed just six minutes to rekindle his partnership with former teammate Jordi Alba to score another early goal for Inter Miami.
Messi scored the opening goal in Miami’s Leagues Cup tie with Dallas on Sunday – but only after the referee consulted video footage to reverse an offside decision.
It was Messi’s sixth goal in just four games since moving to the United States.
It was also the third time in as many games that the World Cup winner had flown out of the blocks.
On Sunday in Texas, Messi stroked the ball from the edge of the box after a withdrawal from Alba, who made his first start since joining his former Barcelona teammate in Florida.
Lionel Messi took six minutes to revive his partnership with former teammate Jordi Alba
The goal bore a striking resemblance to an iconic one in 2017, when the pair combined and Messi scored an injury-time winner at the home of great rivals Real Madrid.
Sunday’s goal was initially disallowed for offside against Josef Martinez, who would have obstructed the view of Dallas goalkeeper Maarten Paes.
But referee Cesar Ramos was advised to consult his field monitor and soon the referee had changed the call.
It was the first time that Messi combined with Alba, with whom he came through the Barcelona academy.
Messi stroked the ball from the edge of the penalty area after a pull-back from Alba
Messi’s opening goal against Dallas came in the sixth minute. Against Orlando City, the last time out, he scored after seven minutes.
In his first start last month, a 4-0 win over Atlanta United, Messi needed just eight minutes to find the goal.
The goal, which put Messi alongside Minnesota’s Bongokuhle Hlongwane on the Leagues Cup leading scorer list, came just minutes after Dallas believed they had taken the lead.
But the home side were on the wrong side of an offside, with Jesus Ferreira’s header disallowed by the assistant referee.
Dallas, however, took the lead at halftime after two goals in eight minutes. That meant that Inter Miami was behind for the first time in the tournament.
After Dallas made it 3-1, Messi and Alba reunited to set up a second Miami goal for Benjamin Cremaschi.
