MIAMI:&nbsp;Lionel Messi scored two goals and assisted on two by Tadeo Allende to spark Inter Miami in a 4-0 rout of Nashville on Saturday to advance in the MLS Cup playoffs.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Argentine icon Messi opened the scoring in the 10th minute, added another goal in the 39th and set up compatriot Allende&#39;s goals in the 73rd and 76th that sealed Miami&#39;s triumph.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&quot;I want to congratulate Leo for the game he played,&quot; Miami coach Javier Mascherano said. &quot;He was the first one who guided us in high pressure. To see him press like that at 38 years old is crazy. We all know about Leo with the ball, but what happened with Leo without the ball today was impressive.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Inter Miami won the best-of-three Eastern Conference first round series 2-1 to book a second round match against FC Cincinnati, who defeated Columbus 2-1 in another series-deciding encounter.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&quot;The team played an almost perfect game,&quot; Mascherano said. &quot;There are always things to improve, but we were at a very high level in all lines, very intense from the first minute, very organized and very good in high pressure.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Eight-time Ballon d&#39;Or winner Messi ensured Miami would avoid a third first-round exit in four seasons after having fallen to Atlanta last year and New York City in 2022.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&quot;It would have been very unfair to be eliminated at this stage,&quot; Mascherano said. &quot;What happened last year it had remained a bit in the atmosphere and you could feel that fear that it could happen again. And now there is nothing better than looking forward.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;In the night&#39;s other match, 10-man Minnesota United rallied to eliminate Seattle 7-6 on penalty kicks after playing to a 3-3 draw in a Western Conference thriller, booking a second round match against Sunday&#39;s winner between Portland and San Diego.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Miami striker Luis Suarez was absent, suspended one game by MLS for violent conduct in last week&#39;s loss at Nashville.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;MLS season goal-scoring leader Messi took a deflected ball, ran to the top of the box and fired a left-footed shot into the lower right corner.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Messi doubled the margin when he fired home a left-footed shot from just outside the box off a pass from Argentine teen rookie Mateo Silvetti.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Allende&#39;s first goal was from point blank range off passes from Messi and Jordi Alba. He then took a long pass from Messi and chipped a high ball into the net.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;At Cincinnati,&nbsp;Canadian Jacen Russell-Rowe gave Columbus a 1-0 lead in the 61st minute&nbsp;but Brazilian striker Brenner Souza answered in the 67th and 86th to send Cincinnati into a second-round home match against Miami.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&quot;It&#39;s going to be a very tough conference semifinal,&quot; Mascherano said. &quot;We were below in the regular season but in the second leg we played here I was left with very good feelings.&quot; Minnesota moves on At Minnesota, the series was not decided until the 10th round of penalties when Seattle goalkeeper Andrew Thomas, injured making a save in the opening round after being inserted for the shootout, clanged the ball off the crossbar.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Seattle equalized at 3-3 on&nbsp;a goal by Jordan Morris in the 88th minute but when the penalty shootout arrived, the Sounders replaced keeper Stefan Frei for backup Thomas.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Minnesota&#39;s Joaquin Pereyra missed the first penalty kick wide right and Thomas hurt a hand diving for the ball but stayed in the match.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Morris hit the crossbar in the second round and in sudden-death rounds Thomas made two saves but Seattle missed both chances to win, Obed Vargas hitting the left post and Osaze De Rosario&#39;s shot being saved by Minnesota&#39;s Dayne St. Clair.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;MLS Goalkeeper of the Year St. Clair scored in the 10th round and Thomas missed to give the Loons the victory.

Football

Argentine icon Messi opened the scoring in the 10th minute, added another goal in the 39th and set up compatriot Allende's goals in the 73rd and 76th that sealed Miami's triumph.

Messi leads Miami into MLS playoff matchup with Cincinnati

MIAMI: Lionel Messi wants to play for Argentina in next year&#39;s World Cup, but he says he will listen to his body before deciding whether he can make that dream come true.&nbsp;The 38-year-old striker for Inter Miami of MLS led Argentina to the 2022 World Cup title and yearns to be on the field when the &quot;Albiceleste&quot; defend the crown next year in North America.&nbsp;Eight-time Ballon d&#39;Or winner Messi told NBC News in an interview broadcast on Monday that he will see next year how his body feels before deciding on whether or not he can play in the World Cup co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.&nbsp;&quot;It&#39;s something extraordinary to be able to be in a World Cup and I would love to,&quot; said Messi, who turns 39 next June.&nbsp;&quot;I would like to be there, to be well and be an important part of helping my national team, if I am there.&nbsp;&quot;And I&#39;m going to assess that on a day-to-day basis when I start preseason next year with Inter and see if I can really be 100%, if I can be useful to the group, to the national team, and then make a decision.&quot;&nbsp;Messi, who has been playing professionally since 2004, wants the chance for one more star turn on football&#39;s biggest stage.&nbsp;&quot;I&#39;m really eager because it&#39;s a World Cup. We&#39;re coming off winning the last World Cup and being able to defend it on the field again is spectacular because it&#39;s always a dream to play with the national team, especially in official competitions.&quot;&nbsp;Messi, who debuted with Barcelona in La Liga at age 17, joined Paris Saint-Germain in 2021 and moved to MLS in 2023.&nbsp;&quot;The truth is that I like everything about living here,&quot; Messi said of Miami.&nbsp;&quot;I spent a lot of time in Barcelona, which for me is an extraordinary city, where I grew up and had many spectacular moments, and which we miss a lot.&nbsp;&quot;But Miami is a city that allows us to live very well, that makes us enjoy life, that allows us to be calm, that allows the kids to be themselves and live day to day.&quot;&nbsp;Messi has 195 appearances for the Argentine national team, scoring 114 goals.

Lionel Messi, 38, says he hopes to play for Argentina in the 2026 World Cup but will decide after assessing his fitness next year. The Inter Miami star led Argentina to 2022 glory.

Lionel Messi keeps 2026 FIFA World Cup decision on hold

BARCELONA: Barcelona coach Hansi Flick and his players are not pleased at having to travel 4,500 miles to play a regular season La Liga match near Miami in December.&nbsp;Replying to a question at a press conference on Friday, Flick made his feelings clear.&nbsp;&ldquo;My players are not happy, I am not happy, but La Liga decided that we will play this game,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;The December 20 match will be played at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, home of the NFL&rsquo;s Miami Dolphins.&nbsp;Barcelona president Joan Laporta has defended the Spanish league game by saying it represents the opportunity to further push into the American sports market.&nbsp;But for Flick and his players, it represents added travel before a short winter break. Barcelona will also travel to Saudi Arabia for the Spanish Super Cup starting January 7.&nbsp;Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong has criticized playing the game in the US, saying players are already overloaded with travel and a packed playing calendar.&nbsp;Like Barcelona, Villarreal is also playing in the Champions League this season.&nbsp;La Liga president Javier Tebas has said that the league plans to make an international soccer match an annual event. The league has chartered planes to bring to Florida what it estimates will be 2,000 to 3,000 fans from Villarreal, which is the home team.&nbsp;Barcelona plays Girona in the Spanish league on Saturday.

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick and his players voiced frustration over La Liga’s decision to stage a December 20 match in Miami, citing excessive travel before their winter break and upcoming Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia.

Barcelona coach and his players are 'not happy' with Miami match

MIAMI: Lionel Messi made a public appearance in Miami on Friday, attending the finals of a 1v1 soccer tournament, but gave no update on his expected contract extension with Inter Miami. &nbsp;The Inter Miami star who is closing in on a contract extension that will keep him with his Major League Soccer club through at least the 2026 season and likely beyond showed up to watch the global finals of the 1v1 soccer tournament that he helped create and is sponsored by a hydration drink that he co-founded.&nbsp;His appearance came days after he and Inter Miami closed in on an extension, one that the sides have been working on for months and would assure him of being with the club when it plans to open its new stadium near Miami International Airport next year.&nbsp;There were no hints about the contract coming from his team on Friday and he did not address reporters.&nbsp;Messi only spoke behind the scenes to his team about the tournament, with his interview being sent out to members of the media afterward.&nbsp;&ldquo;It is really so nice to see and to share this opportunity providing a platform for the game that is 1v1,&rdquo; Messi said.&nbsp;When asked about the extension, Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano said he remains hopeful.&nbsp;&ldquo;I hope it happens soon, because I think it&rsquo;s great news not only for the club but for MLS in general, right?&rdquo; Mascherano said earlier Friday at the team&rsquo;s training base in Fort Lauderdale.&nbsp;&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t think it&rsquo;s just for the team,&rdquo; Mascherano said. &ldquo;Obviously, for the team, for the club, for the history of this club, it&rsquo;s something unique.&nbsp;But I think for soccer in general in the United States, it would be very, very important news. They could have the best player who has ever played this sport here for a while longer.&rdquo;&nbsp;Messi captained Argentina to the World Cup title in 2022 and has been part of qualifying matches with the team but has not formally said that he will play in the tournament when it comes to the US, Canada and Mexico next year.&nbsp;The 38-year-old Messi has 20 goals second most in the league and 11 assists in MLS play this season.&nbsp;He joined Inter Miami in July 2023 on a 2 1/2-year contract, one that was worth an estimated $150 million at the time.Messi was MLS&rsquo; MVP last season, even in a year where he missed 15 of Inter Miami&rsquo;s 34 regular-season matches with injuries or national team commitments.&nbsp;He has helped the team win its first two trophies, the Leagues Cup in 2023 and the Supporters&rsquo; Shield for having the best record in MLS last season.&nbsp;Messi and Inter Miami will play DC United on Saturday.&nbsp;Miami opens the weekend sixth in the Eastern Conference, eight points behind first-place Philadelphia but with three matches in hand on the conference leaders and still in the race for one of the top playoff seeds as well as the Supporters&#39; Shield.

Lionel Messi attended a Miami tournament on Friday but gave no update on his contract extension with Inter Miami. Talks continue, with coach Javier Mascherano hopeful the deal will secure Messi through 2026 and beyond.

Articles tagged with "Inter miami"

Messi leads Miami into MLS playoff matchup with Cincinnati

Lionel Messi keeps 2026 FIFA World Cup decision on hold

Barcelona coach and his players are 'not happy' with Miami match

Messi stays silent on Inter Miami contract extension