Lionel Messi connected on a free kick in the 54th minute to propel Inter Miami to a 2-1 victory over FC Porto in a Group A match of the Fifa Club World Cup on Thursday afternoon.
After Porto struck first on Samu Aghehowa’s penalty kick in the eighth minute, Marcelo Weigandt assisted on Telasco Segovia’s game-tying goal in the 47th.
Miami found its second goal in the first 10 minutes of the second half against Porto goalkeeper Claudio Ramos as Messi scored on the 68th free-kick goal of his illustrious career.
The free-kick was set up for Miami when 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.
Each team netted their first goals of the tournament after Miami tied Al Ahly 0-0 on Saturday and Porto suffered the same result against Palmeiras on Sunday.
After VAR review confirmation, it was determined that Miami’s Noah Allen committed a tripping penalty in the box against Joao Mario, leading to Aghehowa’s penalty goal that was deflected by goalkeeper Oscar Ustari and in for the game’s first goal in the eighth minute.
Portuguese side of this past season 19, 19 goals.
Miami knotted the score at one less than 90 seconds into the second half, as Weigandt’s cross into the center of the box was finished by Segovia, who fired in the equalizing goal past a sprawling Ramos.
Miami then continued its great start to the second half, as Porto’s Rodrigo Mora’s foul led to Messi’s successful free kick – perfectly placed in the top right corner.
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.
Atlético Madrid 3-1 Seattle Sounders
Pablo Barrios’ brace lifted Atlético Madrid to a 3-1 victory over the Seattle Sounders on Thursday, getting the Spanish side’s Group B campaign back on track.
Axel Witsel also scored as Atlético rebounded to victory at Seattle’s home field after they began their FIFA Club World Cup campaign losing 4-0 to Paris Saint-Germain in Southern California.
The result pulls the Rojiblancos even on points with PSG and Botafogo, who will meet in their second match later on Thursday.
Albert Rusnak scored after half-time for Seattle, who fell to the brink of elimination despite playing a second consecutive game before its home supporters. The Sounders’ knockout-phase hopes will officially be quashed if PSG wins or draws against Botafogo.
The 22-year-old Barrios scored early in each half for the first brace of his senior club career, with his first goal putting Atlético in front in the 11th minute.
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Giuliano Simeone did much of the work, running on to a through ball into the right edge of the penalty area, cutting back to elude a defender and then dragging a low cross toward the penalty arc. Barrios met it in stride and hit a first-time, right-footed shot that rattled the underside of the crossbar on its way in.
Barrios’ second in the 55th minute was simpler, as he was permitted time and space to hit a half-volley past goalkeeper Stefan Frei after Seattle’s failure to clear Marcos Llorente’s long throw from the right.
Before half-time, Atlético had an apparent chance to double their lead from the penalty spot taken away after referee Yael Falcon Perez reversed his initial decision after a video review.
The sides then traded goals in the first five minutes of the second half. In the 47th, Witsel headed home from inside the 6-yard box in the resulting scramble after Frei pushed Llorente’s initial half-volley on to the crossbar. In the 50th, Rusnak scored from a similar range on a deflected shot after Atlético’s failure to deal with Seattle’s initial ball into the box.
Palmeiras 2-1 Al Ahly
Jose Lopez scored in the 60th minute to lift Brazil’s Palmeiras to a 2-0 victory over Egypt’s Al Ahly in Club World Cup Group A play on Thursday afternoon in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Weverton made two saves to help Palmeiras maintain the clean sheet.
Palmeiras opened the scoring in the 49th minute following an own goal by Al Ahly’s Wessam Abou Ali, who inadvertently headed home Anibal Moreno’s free kick. Palmeiras doubled the advantage after Lopez sent a left-footed shot into the net following Mauricio’s through ball.
The match had a short delay in the 63rd minute “because of severe weather in the area.”
Both teams played to a scoreless draw in their first matches, with Palmeiras drawing even with Porto and Al Ahly doing the same with Inter Miami.
Al Ahly’s best chance to open the scoring in the first half came in the sixth minute, but Abou Ali’s attempt from the center of the box sailed wide of the net. Yahya Attiat Allah’s cross set up Abou Ali’s attempt.
Palmeiras’ Estevao’s left-footed shot from the center of the box sailed just wide to the right in the 18th minute.
Palmeiras’ Raphael Veiga initially received a red card for his sliding tackle to Zizo, but VAR ultimately downgraded it to a yellow upon review. Agustin Giay also received a yellow card in the 43rd minute.
Al Ahly’s Hamdi Fathy and Attiat Allah also were shown a yellow in the 42nd minute and in first-half stoppage time, respectively.
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