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Lionel Messi and Inter Miami – fresh off their championship in the Leagues Cup last weekend – are back on the pitch tonight and in contention for another title.
Inter Miami has traveled to face FC Cincinnati in the semifinal of the U.S. Open Cup – marking Messi’s sixth match in 22 days and his eighth game overall since joining the MLS.
Some much-needed rest could be on the horizon for Messi, the Argentine World Cup champion and seven-time Ballon d’Or winner, who has scored 10 goals in his first seven matches for Inter Miami. But it won’t come tonight.
“We said that at some point he would have to rest because of the load of minutes played,” Messi’s longtime coach Tata Martino said Monday.
“Clearly, Wednesday is not going to be that day. If he does not tell me he wants to rest, he will continue to play.”
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How to watch Lionel Messi in the U.S. Open Cup?
The Inter Miami-FC Cincinnati game at TQL Stadium starting at 7 p.m. ET can be streamed on the CBS Sports Golazo Network (available for free on the CBS Sports app and Pluto TV) and Paramount+, with Spanish-language broadcasts available on Telemundo and Peacock.
Josef Martinez goal: Inter Miami 3, FC Cincinnati 2
Four minutes into extra time, and Inter Miami has its first lead of the game.
Josef Martinez scored in the 93rd minute, and FC Cincinnati is now on the ropes.
Martinez’s goal was assisted by Benjamin Cremaschi, two of Inter Miami’s late substitutions in this match.
Leo Campana goal: FC Cincinnati 2, Inter Miami 2
Just when you thought Inter Miami was going to lose its first match in the Messi era, it was Messi whose magical left boot struck again in the 97th minute.
Messi lobbed a left kick into the box, and Leo Campana scored his second header during extra time in the final minutes of regulation in this match.
Inter Miami was down and out, and FC Cincinnati already began its celebration.
Now, we’re in a tied game going to extra time.
Cincy almost takes 3-1 lead, but handball
Just minutes after Inter Miami got back into the game, it appeared for a brief second they were out of it once again.
FC Cincinnati almost took a 3-1 lead, but their goal was waved off by officials due to a handball call.
Yuya Kubo touched the ball with his hand after it was kicked into his body following a corner kick.
Kubo later missed a shot on goal in the 73rd minute.
Leonardo Campana goal: FC Cincinnati 2, Inter Miami 1
Inter Miami is down, but it isn’t out just yet.
Leonardo Campana nailed a header into the net following a free kick by Messi in the 68th minute.
Messi tilted his head to slightly to the left before his kick, and pumped his fists in the air to celebrate the goal.
Brandon Vazquez goal: FC Cincinnati 2, Inter Miami 0
Messi and Inter Miami are in danger of their first loss together.
Brandon Vasquez scored a right strike in the 53rd minute, and Inter Miami is down 2-0.
Inter Miami outscored opponents 22-8 in its previous seven games before tonight.
But this U.S. Open Cup semifinal has been a different story so far.
Halftime: FC Cincinnati 1, Inter Miami 0
Call it a Leagues Cup hangover. Or just a team too tired following six matches in a 22-day stretch. But FC Cincinnati has jumped on Messi and Inter Miami early.
Inter Miami looks a little fatigued in this match, just four nights after winning the Leagues Cup against Nashville SC on Saturday night.
Messi has yet to take a shot in this match, but Argentine midfield Luciano Acosta scored at the 18-minute mark to give FC Cincinnati its lead.
Aaron Boupendza nearly had a goal just minutes after Acosta’s score, but he was offsides. Boupendza also missed a straight shot in the final minutes of the first half.
Diego Gomez has missed three shots on goal, while Jean Mota was given a yellow card in 31’ for Inter Miami.
Things could change in the second half.
Luciano Acosta goal: FC Cincinnati 1, Inter Miami 0
FC Cincinnati is on the board, and Inter Miami is facing a deficit after 18 minutes.
Argentine midfield Luciano Acosta took advantage of a deflected ball and scored off the left goal post and into the net.
Cincy almost took a 2-0 lead minutes later, but Aaron Boupendza was offsides.
Ray Hudson on call for CBS Sports Golazo Network
Former professional soccer player and coach, and now television analyst Ray Hudson will be on the call for CBS Sports Golazo Network for tonight’s Inter Miami-FC Cincinnati U.S. Open Cup semifinal game.
Hudson has been a longtime broadcast analyst on games involving Lionel Messi, mostly during his time with FC Barcelona. So much so that there’s a delightful compilation of Hudson’s very passionate calls of Messi’s goals.
If Messi scores tonight, viewers could be in for a treat. Take a look …
Bengals star players on hand to watch Messi
A few Cincinnati Bengals stars are on hand to watch FC Cincinnati’s match against Messi and Inter Miami.
Bengals star quarterback Joe Burrow, star receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, and standout defensive end Sam Hubbard were on the pitch before the match began.
And they were supporting their home team, wearing FC Cincinnati jerseys.
Cincy fans roast Messi cookies by Cincinnati bakery
A Cincinnati bakery thought it would be a great idea to bake some Messi-themed cookies ahead of tonight’s match.
But they weren’t well received by FC Cincinnati fans.
“Welcome to the Nati! Messi cookies are available at all locations while supplies last,” Busken Bakery premiered in a since-deleted Facebook post.
Among the comments before the Facebook post was deleted:
“Sad.” “Really Busken?” “Booo!” “Stop!”
More from the Cincinnati Enquirer on Messi-Cookie Gate here.
Messi will play vs. FC Cincinnati
As expected, Messi is in the starting lineup for tonight’s U.S. Open Cup semifinal match.
Here are the starting lineups for both sides:
How does Messi feel about his Inter Miami move?
Messi Mania has lived up to the hype so far, but how has Messi felt about his move to Inter Miami?
Messi held a press conference last week, his first since joining the team, to touch on several topics.
Messi’s family has yet to buy a house they will call a home, and his three children will soon enroll in school for this fall. But so far, they’re happy to be in Miami.
“Today I can tell you that I am very happy with the decision we made,” Messi said last Thursday.
“I’m happy enjoying this new stage, and I’m enjoying the experience of living here in this country.”
Relive Messi Mania in the Leagues Cup final
Messi scored in the 23rd minute, and Inter Miami needed a 22-kick penalty kick shootout to outlast Nashville SC 1-1 (10-9 in PKs) on Saturday night to become Leagues Cup champions.
Messi was lifted by his Inter Miami teammates on the pitch after the victory.
Messi hugged Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham, as their vision to join forces came to fruition.
And Messi gave the captain’s armband to DeAndre Yedlin, the club’s captain before Messi’s arrival, so he could raise the trophy high into the sky after their win.
More on Messi’s run with Inter Miami and Leagues Cup
Messi and Inter Miami’s seven-game run during the Leagues Cup was impressive to say the least, especially for a team that came together so quickly on the fly with his addition.
Among some of the highlights:
∎ Messi scored a game-winning goal of his Inter Miami debut in the 94th minute.
∎ Messi scored two goals in his first start with Inter Miami against Atlanta United, his first in the eighth minute.
∎ Messi scores 2 goals, overcomes yellow card and jaw injury in his third game, a 3-1 win over Orlando City.
∎ Messi scored two goals, including the equalizer to tie the game at 4 in the 85th minute as Inter Miami advanced past FC Dallas with a 5-3 edge on penalty kicks.
∎ Messi scored in the 86th minute to put the icing on Inter Miami’s 4-0 win over Charlotte FC.
∎ Messi scores as Inter Miami aces tough test in 4-1 win over Philadelphia Union to reach Leagues Cup final.
∎ Messi scores early, Inter Miami outduels Nashville SC in a penalty kick shootout 10-9 in Leagues Cup final.
When is the U.S. Open Cup final?
The Inter Miami-FC Cincinnati winner will face either Real Salt Lake or Houston Dynamo FC in the U.S. Open Cup final on Sept. 27.
What’s at stake in the U.S. Open Cup?
The winner of the U.S. Open Cup — a team that technically is the national champion of American soccer — earns a spot in the Concacaf Champions Cup (the rebranded Concacaf Champions League).
But here’s the thing: Inter Miami already has a bid and a bye straight to the round of 16 in the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup thanks to its win in the Leagues Cup final.
If the U.S. Open Cup winner also holds another Concacaf Champions Cup qualification spot, the tournament’s runner-up will earn a Concacaf Champions Cup spot. If the U.S. Open Cup runner-up has multiple Concacaf Champions Cup qualification slots, then the next-best MLS club that has accumulated the most regular-season points will earn the slot.
Four MLS teams already have qualified for the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup: Inter Miami; Nashville SC (Leagues Cup runner-up); Philadelphia Union (Leagues Cup third-place finisher); and the Vancouver Whitecaps (Canadian Championship winners).
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