Inter Miami Secures 1-0 Win over Sporting KC in CONCACAF Champions Cup
Messi’s 56th-Minute Goal Proves the Decisive Factor
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Lionel Messi did what Lionel Messi does. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner scored from the right side of the box in the 56th minute to lift Inter Miami past Sporting Kansas City 1-0 on a bitterly cold Wednesday night in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup’s first round.
“There’s one guy that can turn the game over, and he did,” Sporting KC manager Peter Vermes said.
Miami head coach Javier Mascherano simply described Messi’s effort as “fantastic.”
A Tough Night for Both Teams
Both teams struggled to find consistency on the hard, slick field for much of the night in front of 15,178 bundled-up fans at Children’s Mercy Park, where the game-time temperature was 3 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 16 Celsius) with a wind speed of 9 mph, resulting in a wind chill of minus 11 Fahrenheit (minus 24 Celsius).
“(I’m) very proud because I think it’s impossible to play in these conditions,” Mascherano said. “Is not human, you know. So I’m very proud, because they gave me 100%.”
Messi’s Goal Secures the Win
On his goal, Messi collected a pass from Sergio Busquets, let it fall to his feet, eluded the nearest defender and then fired it past Sporting KC keeper John Pulskamp.
“Maybe for the people that know him it’s normal because he did goals like this 1,000 times,” Mascherano said. “But we are very lucky to have him here.”
Sporting KC’s Effort
Vermes was proud of Sporting KC’s effort to slow the Miami attack.
“Outside of that (goal), I thought we were really good,” he said. “We had some really good opportunities. I can’t say enough about our first performance, especially with such a young group of guys being on the field, really good.”
Conclusion
The clubs will face off in the second leg on Tuesday in Miami, with Inter Miami looking to secure a spot in the next round.
FAQs
* What was the score in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup match between Inter Miami and Sporting KC?
Inter Miami won 1-0.
* Who scored the winning goal for Inter Miami?
Lionel Messi scored the winning goal in the 56th minute.
* What was the condition of the field like during the match?
The field was hard and slick due to the cold weather, with a game-time temperature of 3 degrees Fahrenheit and a wind chill of minus 11 Fahrenheit.
