Lionel Messi rifles home last-minute winner during star-studded Inter Miami debut

Lionel Messi scored a brilliant free-kick deep into second-half stoppage time in a dream debut for Inter Miami that sealed a 2-1 victory over Cruz Azul in their Leagues Cup opener on Friday.

Miami brought on Messi off the bench as he had only three full training sessions with the team following his historic move to Major League Soccer.

His Miami debut had been years in the making and proved well worth the wait.

After Robert Taylor's excellent opener was cancelled out by Uriel Antuna, the 36-year-old World Cup winner struck at the death to leave the DRV PNK Stadium delirious.

Inter rode out that early storm and took the lead just before the break as Taylor's exquisite low strike went in off the post to Messi's delight.

The forward was cheered throughout and received a rapturous reception when brought on in the 54th minute, taking the armband as Sergio Busquets also came on for his debut.

Jordi Alba has also signed up to join their former Barcelona boss Tata Martino in Miami, but there remains work to do and that was clear as Cruz Azul deservedly levelled through Antuna.

The Mexicans could easily have won it as the clock wound down, but this was Messi's night.

The 36-year-old won a free-kick deep in stoppage time and there was an air of inevitability before he sent the resulting set piece into the top left-hand corner as fireworks filled the air.

El primer gol de Messi con Inter Miami