Messi magical again as Miami move past Dallas after shoot-out

FRISCO, US: Lionel Messi scored twice, including a brilliant late equaliser, as Inter Miami advanced past FC Dallas to the quarter-finals of the Leagues Cup on penalties after an enthralling 4-4 draw on Sunday (Aug 6).

A trademark curling free-kick in the 85th minute, Messi's seventh goal in four games for Miami, took the game to a shoot-out after the Argentine's side had trailed 4-2 with 10 minutes to go.

Dallas exposed Miami's defensive weaknesses, in Messi's first game away from home, and kept Spanish midfielder Sergio Busquets relatively quiet for long stretches but the World Cup winner still made the difference.

"It's obvious that for him a free-kick around that area is like a penalty kick for another player," said Dallas's Spanish coach Nico Estevez of Messi's superb strike.

Dallas began brightly before Messi put Miami ahead in the sixth minute with a precise side-foot finish from a pull-back from Jordi Alba, the former Barcelona full-back who was making his first start for the club.

It was initially ruled out for offside but the decision was reversed after the referee, on review, ruled that Miami forward Josef Martinez had not blocked the view of the goalkeeper.

Dallas drew level in the 37th minute through Argentine Facundo Quignon, who swung home a cross from overlapping full-back Marco Farfan.

They went ahead on the stroke of half-time through Bernard Kamungo, who rounded Miami keeper Drake Callender.

Another Argentine, Alan Velasco, made it 3-1 in the 63rd minute with a free-kick from the left which flew untouched into the far corner.

Teenage substitute Benjamin Cremaschi took only a minute to reduce the deficit but an own goal from Robert Taylor restored the two-goal cushion for Dallas at 4-2.

Messi then chipped a