Success and failure in football can often be determined by being in the right place at the right time, and Lionel Messi has been doing that for more than two decades.
In essence, after having completed a clean sweep of the great awards that the game has to offer with the World Cup victory of Argentina in Qatar against France in December 2022, the diminutive no. 10 now leads the indictment of Inter Miami in the World Cup club.
A 0-0 draw versus Al Ahly to open the tournament was anything but a headline-grabbing version by Messi and Co., but a stunning 2-1 comeback victory on Porto, the cat not only put the cat in group A, but also gave a real chance to reach the Knockid Beckon's Rondens reached made.
Messi Magic surprised the crowd in Mercedes-Benz Stadium
One night when Botafogo also shocked PSG, Messi's magic won his side of the game from a dead ball situation.
Before that stunning effort illuminated the competition and sent most of the crowd in Mercedes-Benz Stadium to Ecstasy, Samu Aghehowa Porto had given the lead from the place after a debatable VAR-Kraonde penalty.
The Portuguese side had also had six shots on the goal, including one from Alan Varela who was channeled back from the woodwork.
For all Miami industry and the intention of disturbing opponents who played a fairly pleasant passing game, they could not find a way along Claudio Ramos, who eventually made three saves in the game.
Momentum shift just after the break
The momentum shifted immediately after the break, but when the withdrawal of Marcelo Weigandt was beaten by Telasco Segovia before Ramos had the chance to respond.
Only seven minutes later, Messi offered the resistance, shot the ball up and over the wall and in the corner of the net where Ramos stood. Another masterful attempt to add to the huge show Reel from the several Ballon d'Or wining Argentinian amazing career.
Almost exclusively for the rest of the game, Porto did all the running.
By the time the official full -time blew, they had had a total of 14 shots, 35 touches in the inter -punishment area, 22 dribbles and 19 crosses. The European side had thrown everything at opponents who would not admit.
467 passes of Inter had just surpassed the 453 of Porto, because the first did their utmost to keep the last on arm length, while possession statistics were almost the same at the end of the game, 49.9% for Messis Miami side and 51.1% for Porto.
Inter Miami vs Porto Momentum Shiftopta perform by statistics
Fabio Vieira could hardly have done anything in response, his 100 touches, 29 passes in the last third part (and 80 in total) was more than anyone else on the field, while Rodrigo Mora won seven times and will be defeated seven times and the defeat of the defeats.
A defeat that Martin Anselmi and his team will have hurt, given that after Messi had stolen the show in the 53rd minute, Inter had no other shot from a description until the 96th when Fafa Picoult succeeded in getting one on goal.
Was Porto too lazy with their death?
It is also worth paying attention to the fact that no Porto player in the starting XI falls below 80% in terms of their pass -voltage statistics, so in terms of distribution it is difficult to accuse them.
11 Opportunities that arose much surpassed that Inter could produce in that respect, so perhaps one area where they unnecessarily handed the initiative to their opponents to intercept the ball too much too much.
The passing network of Inter Miami against Portenta performing statistics
Sergio Busquets and Benjamin Cremaschi (both with four interceptions) were paramount, and 15 intercepting in total suggesting a little laziness of some Porto players.
Unforgivable at this level.
No goals for Luis Suarez, but El Pistolero still made his presence feel
Luis Suarez had a role to play as would be expected, even if it didn't come on the score sheet on this occasion.
Winning all three of his attempted attempt at tackles, El Pistolero also had four mistakes against him, the Uruguayan who clearly used all his experience at the highest level of the game to make himself a nuisance.
Luis Suarez won all his three tackles against portooten performing by statistics
Indeed, 14 tackles won from 19 attempt at (Porto attempt at only seven) also seem to indicate that Inter is much more for the game than their opponents.
As so often when a team is overwhelming favorites, complacency tends to crawl into it, but as is detailed above, apart from many of their passes are intercepted, there is not much different what the Portuguese can be praised for.
Sometimes teams just have to admit that they are fair and square, no matter how bitter a pill that has to take.