ATLANTA (AP) — Lionel Messi scored his first goal of the expanded Club World Cup on an exquisite free kick, lifting Inter Miami to a 2-1 victory over two-time European champion Porto on Thursday.
The Herons trailed 1-0 at the break, but Telasco Segovia tied it two minutes into the second half off a cross into the box from Marcelo Weigandt.
Then it was time for the 37-year-old Argentinian to add a trademark goal to a resume that already assures he'll go down as one of the game's greatest stars.
Samu Omorodion scored on a penalty kick in the opening minutes after a video review for the Portuguese club's first goal of the tournament.
Both teams were held to scoreless draws in their opening Group A matches.
Key moment
Messi was taken down just outside the penalty area by Rodrigo Mora on a run down the middle of the field. The crowd at Mercedes-Benz Stadium was chanting “Messi!” Messi! Messi!” before his left-footed blast cleared the Porto wall and ripped the net in the top right corner in the 54th minute.
Takeaways
Inter Miami returns to South Florida on Monday, knowing a victory over Brazilian club Palmeiras at Hard Rock Stadium will lock up its spot in the Round of 16. In desperate need of a win, Porto closes out group play against Egypt's Al Ahly at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
What they said
“(Messi) is the player that leads us in the ways we have to compete. His hunger, his resilience, his will to go on competing, at whatever level that may be. In football terms, what else can I add? He's the best player ever to play this sport. But his determination to win is always surprising. Even in the last minutes, when everyone is tired, he continued to support the team in any way he could.” — Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano.
“What can I say about Messi? I'm not going to say anything that's new. You knows what he's capable of on the pitch.” — Porto coach Martín Anselmi.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Paul Newberry, The Associated Press
