Brilliant Lionel Messi free-kick leads Inter Miami past Porto while PSG are stunned at Club World Cup

Lionel Messi converted a delicious 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 through Samu Omorodion’s penalty in the eighth minute, Marcelo Weigandt set up Telasco Segovia’s equalising goal shortly after half-time. But Miami found the decisive moment in the second half as Messi scored the 68th free-kick of his illustrious career.

The set piece was set up for Miami when Messi was taken down just outside the penalty area by Rodrigo Mora, following a run down the middle of the field. The crowd at Mercedes-Benz Stadium was chanting “Messi!” Messi! Messi!” before his left-footed effort cleared the Porto wall and ripped the net in the top right corner.

Both teams scored their first goals of the tournament, after Miami drew 0-0 with Al Ahly on Saturday and Porto had a similar stalemate against Palmeiras on Sunday.

After a VAR review, it was determined that Miami’s Noah Allen committed a foul in the penalty area against João Mário, leading to Samu’s penalty that was deflected by goalkeeper Oscar Ustari and in for the game’s opening goal. Samu, 21, scored 19 goals in 30 Primeira Liga matches for the Portuguese side this past season.

Miami levelled less than 90 seconds into the second half, as Weigandt’s cross into the the box was finished by Segovia, who fired in the equalizer past a sprawling Ramos. The MLS side then continued their great start to the second half, as Mora’s foul led to Messi’s successful free-kick – perfectly placed in the top corner.

Inter Miami return to South Florida on Monday, knowing a victory over Brazilian club Palmeiras at Hard Rock Stadium will lock up a spot in the Round of 16. In desperate need of a win, Porto close out group play against Al Ahly at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Paris Saint-Germain 0-1 Botafogo

In the final match of the day, Brazil’s Botafogo stunned European champions PSG 1-0 to throw Group B wide open.

PSG dominated possession at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena but Botafogo’s defence stood tall to withstand waves of attacks from the French side in the first competitive meeting between the two clubs.

A turnover in midfield generated an opportunity for Igor Jesus, whose deflected shot left PSG keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma flatfooted and only able to watch as the ball skipped into the net in the 36th minute.

PSG continued to be the aggressors in the second half as Botafogo were content to protect their lead and try to capitalise on the break. PSG, who had scored 19 goals in their last five matches, had the ball in the net in the 79th minute but the goal was chalked off for offside and Botafogo held for the shock win.

Atlético Madrid 3-1 Seattle Sounders

Pablo Barrios’ brace lifted Atlético Madrid to a 3-1 victory over the Seattle Sounders, 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 Club World Cup campaign losing 4-0 to Paris Saint-Germain in Southern California.

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. 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 Falcón Pérez 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 six-yard box in the resulting scramble after Frei pushed Llorente’s initial half-volley on to the crossbar. In the 50th, Rusnak scored from similar range on a deflected shot after Atlético’s failure to deal with Seattle’s initial ball into the box.

Palmeiras 2-0 Al Ahly

José López scored in the 60th minute to lift Brazil’s Palmeiras to a 2-0 victory over Egypt’s Al Ahly in Group A on Thursday afternoon in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Weverton made two key saves to help Palmeiras keep a 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 their advantage after López 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”.

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. Estêvão’s left-footed shot for Palmeiras then sailed just wide in the 18th minute.

Palmeiras’ Raphael Veiga initially received a red card for his sliding tackle on Zizo, but VAR ultimately downgraded it to a yellow upon review.

[Source: The Guardian]