Lionel Messi continues to score goals, and Inter Miami continues to win games.
Messi fired a 30-yard shot past three Philadelphia defenders in the 20th minute, delighting supporters who had paid a record amount for soccer tickets in the Philadelphia region, as Inter Miami defeated the Union 4-1 in a League Cup semifinal on Tuesday night.
Messi presently plays in Major League Soccer.
The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner scored his ninth goal in six games with his new side in front of a throng of 20,000 supporters, with secondary market ticket prices exceeding $1,000.
There were few gripes.
Certainly not from three Union season-ticket holders who swapped their Union clothing for Messi apparel for a night. Fans lining up for Messi jerseys — authenticity not assured — and those eager for Messi fries at a food truck.
And especially not from the Union, who, although obviously hoping to win, packed the coffers and garnered more international attention in one night than in any other game in their history.
When Messi was unveiled, the crowd screamed, and they erupted again when he scored past diving custodian Andre Blake. Messi celebrated by running with his arms outstretched and punching his fist in the air.
The rest was virtually unimportant.
Jordi Alba and Josef Martinez scored for Miami in the first half, while David Ruiz scored in the second. Miami will face either Nashville or Monterrey in the Leagues Cup title game on Saturday.
Philadelphia’s Alejandro Bedoya scored in the second half.
Union primary owner Jay Sugarman told The Associated Press that shifting the game from Subaru Park to Lincoln Financial Field, home of the Philadelphia Eagles, was not really considered. While the football stadium could have accommodated an additional 40,000-plus people, Sugarman claimed coach Jim Curtain informed him that the game would remain in place.
“We have a great relationship with the Eagles, and many of them will be here tonight,” Sugarman said. “But this is a significant tournament with a lot on the line.” “We want to win trophies, and if Jim says this is where we’ll win, that’s where we’ll play.”
Bernard Hopkins, a Philadelphia native and Hall of Fame boxer, pounded the 6-foot drum that greeted the squad to the field, while Sixers centre and NBA MVP Joel Embiid, who played soccer as a youngster in Cameroon, expressed interest in the game.
“Make sure y’all show love to the (goat) in our city tonight, but first let’s get this dub #DOOP #Philly,” he tweeted.
Inter Miami had already been playing in Chester when Messi joined, so Union executives had to analyse the Leagues Cup field like an NCAA Tournament bracket once it was released.
“You try not to, but of course, we were like, if we do this and they do this,” Sugarman joked. “We’re hoping to play in front of a global audience tonight.” It’s an opportunity for the Philadelphia Union to put up the finest performance possible against one of the top teams and players in the world.”
The Messi game sold out in less than 10 minutes, thanks to the fervent fans club “Sons of Ben,” and the secondary market price has soared this week. River End tickets, which regularly sell for $43, increased in price to more than a $1,000, with the average price of $556 being the most in Union history. Tickets in the lower level were still available for $450 and more one hour before the game.
Outside the stadium, it was Messi Mania for Argentina’s World Cup-winning sensation, who has practically become a one-man 1992 Dream Team.
Angel Pagan and her family from Vineland, New Jersey, all donned Messi jerseys despite owning Union season tickets. She upgraded her game tickets to seat closer to the field, but only because they were “very, very expensive.”
“We didn’t care what it cost,” she said. “It’s Messi.”
Under Curtain, the Union grew into one of the top clubs in the Eastern Conference and won their first Supporters’ Shield trophy — given to the MLS team with the best regular-season record — in 2020. The Union were defeated by LAFC in the MLS Cup last season. Brooklyn Nets superstar Kevin Durant saw enough promise in the Union to invest in the squad.
Messi’s presence complicates the Union’s — and all other clubs’ — road to an MLS title.
“This is a fantastic league with a growing fanbase, but you always need that match to really light it,” Sugarman said. “Messi is the perfect match.”
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