Messi Magic Lifts Inter Miami to First-Ever Club World Cup Win Over Porto
Inter Miami CF made history on Thursday afternoon, claiming their first-ever FIFA Club World Cup victory with a thrilling 2-1 comeback win over Portuguese giants FC Porto at Atlanta United’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Lionel Messi was the hero once again, curling in a spectacular free kick in the 54th minute to complete the turnaround after Inter Miami went behind early.
Porto opened the scoring in the 8th minute when Samu Aghehowa converted a penalty, awarded after a VAR review confirmed a foul by Noah Allen on João Mário. The Portuguese side nearly doubled their lead, but a goal-line clearance by Maxi Falcón and a shot off the post from Alan Varela kept the score at 1-0 heading into halftime.
Miami came out with purpose in the second half. Just two minutes after the restart, Telasco Segovia smashed in a powerful first-time finish from Marcelo Weigandt’s cross to level the game. Then came the moment of magic — Messi stepped up and bent a trademark free kick past the Porto wall and into the net, sending the Miami fans into celebration.
The victory gives Inter Miami three crucial points in Group A and puts them in strong position as the tournament continues. For Messi and his team, it’s another chapter in what’s already been a remarkable journey in world football.
