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Argentine superstar Lionel Messi produced a moment of magic in the Club World Cup on Friday morning AEST, scoring a gorgeous free kick to help Inter Miami defeat Porto 2-1 in Atlanta.
Porto took the lead in the eighth minute courtesy of a penalty to Spain’s Samu Aghehowa, but Inter Miami’s Telasco Segovia evened the scores early in the second half.
In the 54th minute, Messi lined up for a free kick from 20 yards out and expertly placed it in the top right corner to put Inter Miami ahead. It was the 68th free kick goal of his career.
“I’ve seen the little magician far too many times to write him off from that position,” former Scotland midfielder Don Hutchison said on DAZN.
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‘TAKE SHELTER’: WILD WEATHER CONTINUES TO WREAK HAVOC
Palmeiras drew first blood in Club World Cup Group A with a 2-0 victory over Al Ahly in New Jersey.
The match was suspended in the 63rd minute because of a weather warning, with players and fans at the MetLife Stadium instructed to “take shelter” because of a nearby storm.
Palmeiras were leading by two goals at the time, with a Wessam Abou Ali own goal sending the Brazilians ahead in the 49th minute before Flaco Lopez doubled their lead on the Egyptians 10 minutes later.
Victory took Palmeiras provisionally top on four points, with the other three sides level on one point each.
It was the third match at the tournament affected by adverse weather at the tournament. On Tuesday, the Mamelodi Sundowns game against Ulsan HD was suspended just before kick-off for just over an hour due to a weather alert.
Then on Wednesday, RB Salzburg’ s match against Pachuca was suspended in the second half for 97 minutes because of a storm.
Palmeiras, led by talented youngster Estevao Willian, who is set to join Chelsea, played well but were held by Porto in their opening clash.
Al Ahly kept them at bay in a tight first half, in which English referee Anthony Taylor sent off Palmeiras midfielder Raphael Veiga for a foul on Ahmed Zizo, before overturning his decision following a VAR review.
Palestinian striker Abou Ali headed Anibal Moreno’s free-kick into his own net to hand Palmeiras the lead.
Lopez finished coolly for the Brazilians’ second after Mauricio played him through on goal.
After the suspension of around 45 minutes for the weather warning, Palmeiras played out the remainder of the match comfortably without risking their advantage.
South American sides have come into the tournament strongly, in good condition given they are in the middle of their domestic seasons, and have stayed unbeaten to this point.
MBAPPE HOSPITALISED
Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe is being treated in hospital in the United States after suffering a stomach bug, the Spanish giants said on Thursday.
“Our player Kylian Mbappe is suffering from an acute case of gastroenteritis and has been admitted to hospital in order to undergo a series of tests and follow the appropriate course of treatment,” said Los Blancos in a statement.
French striker Mbappe missed Real Madrid’s Club World Cup opener against Al-Hilal on Wednesday, a 1-1 draw in Xabi Alonso’s first game at the helm.
Alonso said on Tuesday the 26-year-old forward had been “feeling a little better” after illness in the run up to the match in Miami.
Madrid B-team player Gonzalo Garcia, 21, started in Mbappe’s stead and opened the scoring for Real Madrid against their Saudi Arabian opponents.
Madrid’s second match in Group H is on Sunday June 22 against Mexican side Pachuca in Charlotte.
Mbappe finished as the European Golden Shoe winner in his first season at Real Madrid with 31 goals in La Liga, but Los Blancos finished the season without a major trophy.
