Alakshendra Singh, 26th July
Inter Miami CF beat Atlanta United 4-0 as Lionel Messi bagged two goals and assists one more.
Miami cruises into the knockout stages of the League Cup as they thrash Atlanta United 4-0. This win puts them at the top of Group J and keeps Atlanta at the bottom without a single win. Gerardo Martino’s men hit the ground running, with the first goal coming in the 8th minute.
The Argentine star scored twice in the first half and faced no real trouble getting a few more notches under his belt. He played a total of 78 minutes, as was hinted at by Martino earlier. “It is very likely that both Messi and Busi [Sergio Busquets] will play longer, even from the beginning. Everything will depend on how they feel. It’s just their second game.”
Robert Taylor also scored one in each half, with one of those strikes coming off a Messi assist. The two goals and an assist earned the South American the MOTM award in his first match as captain of the side. Inter Miami has also felt the ‘Messi effect’ as the team has almost quadrupled its following on social media since they announced Messi’s arrival. Interestingly, French side PSG lost a substantial amount of followers after the Argentine’s departure.
The team seems nonpareil at the moment with the influx of both Messi and Busquets. Both of these players not only bring experience but also a certain discipline to the game.
Both have played under very accomplished managers who have arguably gotten the best out of them. Martino took the reins of Barcelona in 2013 but failed to make an impact and announced his departure after just a year.
It looks like a decent start, but one still must wait and see how Gerado fares in his second attempt with Messi and Busquets in a league with quite a different nature. Both players have different mindsets now than the last time they played for Martino. Through age and experience, both the manager and the players have changed, and the owners must be wondering whether the current versions of both parties will link up and work for the club.