Lionel Messi Scores as Inter Miami Progress to the CONCACAF Champions Cup

• Lionel Messi was on target as Inter Miami secured a 3-1 win over Sporting Kansas City, advancing 4-1 on aggregate in the CONCACAF Champions Cup
• The Argentine maestro opened the scoring in the 19th minute after a brilliant assist from Luis Suarez
• Inter Miami will now face the reigning Caribbean Cup champions Jamaican club Cavalier in the next round

Lionel Messi continued his brilliant form as Inter Miami cruised into the CONCACAF Champions Cup last 16 with a commanding 3-1 victory over Sporting Kansas City on Tuesday, sealing a 4-1 aggregate win.

After scoring the only goal in the 1-0 first-leg triumph amid freezing conditions in Kansas City last week, Messi wasted no time making his mark in the return fixture at a much warmer Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale.

The Argentine superstar found the net in the 19th minute, capitalising on a perfect chip from his former Barcelona teammate Luis Suarez, per ESPN.

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Given far too much space by the Sporting defence, Messi clinically slotted the ball into the bottom corner.

Inter Miami 4-1 Sporting Kansas

Sporting Kansas City briefly thought they had drawn level when new signing Dejan Joveljic rounded Miami keeper Oscar Ustari and slotted home, but the goal was quickly ruled offside.

Miami doubled their lead in first-half stoppage time when Messi played a precise ball down the left to Jordi Alba, whose low cross was tapped in from close range by Tadeo Allende.

Just minutes later, Miami added a third in bizarre fashion. A poor clearance from Jacob Davis fell kindly for Suarez, who expertly hooked the bouncing ball into the corner of the net, making it 4-0 on aggregate.

Kansas City managed a consolation goal in the 63rd minute when Memo Rodriguez’s long-range effort took a heavy deflection off Maximiliano Falcon, wrong-footing Ustari and finding the back of the net.

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What's next for Inter Miami

Inter Miami will now face Jamaican club Cavalier, the reigning Caribbean Cup champions, in the next round.

The first leg is scheduled to take place in Florida in the first week of March.

Referee punished for unusual Messi request

Mexican referee Marco Antonio Ortiz Nava was disciplined by CONCACAF after approaching Messi for an autograph in the first leg.

This request, deemed unprofessional, resulted in immediate action from the football governing body.

The incident unfolded moments after the final whistle, when Ortiz Nava appeared to ask Messi for his jersey as a keepsake.

According to ESPN, a CONCACAF spokesperson confirmed that the referee’s actions violated the Confederation’s Code of Conduct for match officials and the established protocols for handling such requests.

Five Ghanaian players to watch in MLS

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that the 30th season of the Major League Soccer will begin this weekend across the United States and Canada as the clubs from the Eastern and Western Conference battle for the ultimate gong.

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Over the years the American Soccer League, as it is also known, has become the centre of attraction with top players including Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez plying their trades in America.

Ahead of the new campaign, some new stars have also joined the MLS bandwagon with former Manchester United and Crystal Palace star Wilfried Zaha joining Charlotte FC.

Source: YEN.com.gh