For the third time in five games an Inter Miami match went to a penalty shootout, and for the third time, it was Lionel Messi’s new team that emerged victorious.

This latest victory from spot kicks sees Miami progress to the final of the 2023 US Open Cup in September. There, Messi will have a chance to win his second trophy in little over two months since playing his first game for Miami.

Prior to scoring his team’s first goal in the shootout, Messi had assisted two for Leonardo Campana to inspire Miami to come back from 2-0 down.

It was Messi’s protégé, Benjamin Cremaschi, who scored the winning spot kick and moments earlier it looked like Cremaschi had helped win the game for his team in extra time when he fed fellow substitute Josef Martinez, but Yuya Kubo levelled the game at 3-3 late on to take it to penalties.

Messi generally struggled to dribble his way around this particular defence as he had been able to do against others in recent matches, but he always has other ways. Other weapons in his arsenal, an array of tricks up his sleeve.

On this occasion, he tormented his opponent with pinpoint delivery. Cincinnati had defended well on the ground, but when Messi twice whipped the ball into the box they were at a loss as to how to defend such an accurate aerial threat.

Messi couldn’t have run up to Campana and placed the ball on his head any better for the two goals.

An excessive heat warning had been issued for the next day, and the almost unbearable temperatures could already be felt. For a while, it looked like this would affect Messi as much as anyone.

Inter Miami looked fatigued in the opening stages, perhaps still recovering from its run in the Leagues Cup, but it was just as taxing for the home side who looked increasingly sluggish and less sharp as the game progressed.

Cincinnati’s own star Argentine No.10, Luciano Acosta, pulled the strings for his side before picking up an injury in the second half. It was he who forced the own goal from Kamal Miller that opened the scoring.

Cincinnati had reached the semifinals of the US Open Cup before. During its time as a USL side, pre-MLS, it defeated MLS clubs Chicago Fire and Columbus Crew before falling to New York Red Bulls 3-2 in the semifinals, having taken the game to extra time. It was to be a similar story again this time around.

Prior to the game, fans congregated in Washington Park where pre-match festivities were taking place with a live band, stalls, and activities.

Then, from out of nowhere in one corner of the park, a parade of orange and blue, complete with drums, trumpets, and loudspeakers emerged to indicate it was time to get to the stadium.

The real entertainment was about to start.

For those not lucky enough to have a ticket, instead of paying the extortionate prices in the resale market that have been an unfortunate side effect of Messi’s arrival, a big screen was set up in Fountain Square, a short walk from the stadium and Washington Park.

Most Cincinnati fans, while no doubt buoyed and excited by the presence of Messi, were not here to worship the Argentine. They were here to back their own team in its quest to reach the US Open Cup final.

These sentiments were shared by Cincinnati Mayor, Aftab Pureval. On the steps of the City Hall the day before the game he stressed that, though the city wanted to welcome Messi and the world stage and global gaze the Messi tour brings with it, the focus was on demonstrating the quality of FC Cincinnati.

Despite not reaching the final, FC Cincinnati certainly showed its quality, and gave an indication why it is top of the overall MLS standings at this point in time.

During the match, there were boos from Cincinnati fans among the polite applause for Messi as he went to take corner kicks.

At hydration breaks, if the big screen showed any fans wearing Argentina or Barcelona shirts they were booed, and when a chant of “Messi! Messi!” was just about audible from one area of the stadium in the second half, that was met with boos, too.

In contrast, a standing ovation was given to Acosta when he ambled over to take a corner of his own.

The Cincinnati defence wasn’t about to stand and admire Messi, either, regularly getting to the ball before it arrived at the Argentine, or crowding him out in a more organised fashion than similar attempts by Nashville to do so in the Leagues Cup final.

But they still ultimately failed to limit his prowess, as all others have done before them.

Brandon Vazquez’s goal was a standout moment. It put the home team 2-0 up and would have been a deserved game-winner.

The center forward was picked out well by Santiago Arias from the right, and the finish was drilled home emphatically from just outside the area.

Then Messi had his say, planting a free kick on the head of Campana, before doing something similar from open play to level the scores at 2-2.

Then came extra time, the exchange of goals, the penalties. Another Inter Miami win, another Messi win, and another chance at a trophy to add to his ridiculous collection which currently stands at 44 titles won. The US Open Cup would be a prestigious one to add to his ever-growing list.