Lionel Messi scores again as Miami reaches Leagues semis – Newstrends
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Lionel Messi scores again as Miami reaches Leagues semis

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2 years ago

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Lionel Messi scores again as Miami reaches Leagues semis

Lionel Messi has maintained his record of scoring in every game for Inter Miami as his new team cruised into the Leagues Cup semifinals with a 4-0 win over Charlotte FC in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Friday.

Messi’s eighth goal in five games since his arrival came with just four minutes remaining and with Miami already three goals up to provide the perfect finale at DRV PNK Stadium, ESN reports.

Miami will now face either Philadelphia Union or Liga MX’s Queretaro on Tuesday as they seek to continue their remarkable turnaround since welcoming the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner.

Josef Martínez scored Miami’s opening goal in the 12th minute after being given the responsibility to take a penalty ahead of Messi for the second time in three games and once again finding the net from the spot.

Miami’s second came just past the 30-minute mark. With Messi’s run into the penalty box taking the attention of multiple Charlotte defenders, U.S. international DeAndre Yedlin found the run of a wide open Robert Taylor to sweep home a low shot from the center of the area.

Perhaps no player has flourished more since Messi’s arrival than Taylor. After scoring five goals in 52 MLS appearances pre-Messi, the Finnish midfielder has four goals in five games with the Argentine great alongside him.

The impact on the team as a whole has been similar. Previously averaging 1.2 goals per game as one of the lowest scorers in MLS, Miami has been scoring at a rate of more than three goals a game since the man with more than 800 career goals arrived on the scene.

After conceding four times in a wild round-of 16 victory at FC Dallas on Sunday, Miami’s defence also held its own back in the familiar confines of DRV PNK Stadium.

With Messi’s former Barcelona teammate Sergio Busquets shielding Miami’s backline, Charlotte didn’t manage a shot on target until the 55th minute. And though the visitors posed more of an attacking threat after some half-time changes, Miami was rarely troubled.

At the other end, Messi kept pulling the strings. With 12 minutes left on the clock, he released Diego Gomez with an inch-perfect pass down the left and the substitute’s cross was turned into his own net by Charlotte defender Adilson Malanda.

For those in attendance, including Argentina’s World Cup-winning coach Lionel Scaloni, the only thing missing was a Messi goal. Not one to disappoint, Messi duly delivered it with a neat-first time finish after an assist from Leonardo Campana.

Miami, bottom of MLS’ Eastern Conference, is now just two wins away from a first trophy in the team’s short history and a 44th in the legendary career of their new No. 10.

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Newcastle stun Liverpool to secure Carabao Cup victory

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4 days ago

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March 17, 2025

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Newcastle stun Liverpool to secure Carabao Cup victory

Newcastle United clinched their first domestic trophy in 70 years with a stunning 2-1 victory over Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley on Sunday. Goals from Dan Burn and Alexander Isak sealed a historic win, igniting celebrations among the club’s passionate supporters.

Defender Burn put Newcastle ahead just before halftime, powering in a header from a corner to send the black-and-white-clad fans into raptures

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Buoyed by their lead, Newcastle doubled their advantage in the 52nd minute when Swedish forward Isak coolly slotted the ball past Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher.

Premier League leaders Liverpool pulled one back deep into stoppage time through Federico Chiesa, but it was too little, too late as Eddie Howe’s side held firm to lift their first major domestic trophy since 1955.

 

Newcastle stun Liverpool to secure Carabao Cup victory

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EPL: Merino header gives Arsenal slim win over Chelsea

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5 days ago

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March 16, 2025

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EPL: Merino header gives Arsenal slim win over Chelsea

Chelsea’s challenge for a place in next season’s Champions League faltered in a toothless 1-0 defeat at Arsenal on Sunday as Fulham beat Tottenham 2-0.

Mikel Merino scored the only goal of a disappointing contest at the Emirates as Arsenal pulled clear in second place and to within 12 points of runaway leaders Liverpool.

Chelsea badly missed the presence of the absent Cole Palmer due to illness as they meekly surrendered to a damaging defeat for their hopes of a top-four finish.

The Blues remain in fourth for now but have five sides from Manchester City in fifth to Aston Villa in ninth within four points of Enzo Maresca’s team.

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Arsenal have struggled badly for goals since the loss of Kai Havertz to a season-ending injury has forced midfielder Merino into a makeshift centre-forward role.

The Spanish international proved the match winner from a corner as he looped a header from Martin Odegaard’s delivery inside the far post on 20 minutes.

Chelsea barely threatened but were nearly gifted a route back into the game when David Raya fumbled Marc Cucurella’s shot and the ball trickled wide.

At the other end, Chelsea’s Robert Sanchez made a brilliant stop to prevent Merino doubling Arsenal’s lead with the best effort of the second half.

But the game petered out with little goalmouth action as a limp performance will do little to quieten the critics of Maresca’s style of play among the Chelsea support.

EPL: Merino header gives Arsenal slim win over Chelsea

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Chelsea beat Man City to win Women’s League Cup

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5 days ago

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March 16, 2025

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Chelsea beat Man City to win Women’s League Cup

Chelsea edged past Manchester City in the Women’s League Cup final to win their first trophy under Sonia Bompastor and keep their bid for a historic quadruple alive.

Bompastor has exceeded expectations since succeeding Emma Hayes as head coach last May, winning 26 of her 28 games.

Mayra Ramirez netted an early opener for Chelsea, bundling in a rebound that bounced off City skipper Laia Aleixandri at Derby County’s Pride Park.

Aoba Fujino levelled after the break with a stunning strike, but an own goal by Yui Hasegawa restored Chelsea’s lead and ended their three-year losing streak in League Cup finals.

“It feels great, for sure. I’m really happy,” Bompastor said.

“From the beginning of the season we said we are going to be ambitious and when you have the opportunity to win a first title that is always really positive so I am really happy for that reason and I am really proud of my players.”

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City, who were playing their first game under interim boss Nick Cushing following Gareth Taylor’s sacking five days ago, dominated play after Chelsea’s opener.

But they were unable to find a way through during the first half as Chelsea’s solid centre-back paring of Millie Bright and Nathalie Bjorn stood firm, limiting City’s chances to ambitious efforts from the edge of the box.

Chelsea appeared to regain control after the interval, but Fujino’s powerful strike flew past Hannah Hampton and into the roof of the net before Hasegawa’s own goal handed momentum back to Bompastor’s side.

They remain in the hunt for the Champions League and FA Cup, while they have all but secured a sixth successive Women’s Super League (WSL) title, sitting eight points clear at the top of the table with six games remaining.

This final marked the start of an intense 12-day battle, with Chelsea and City playing each other four times in a row.

Chelsea beat Man City to win Women’s League Cup

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