ATLANTA — Lionel Messi scored his first goal of the expanded Club World Cup on a patented free kick in the 54th minute to give Inter Miami a 2-1 lead over Porto on Thursday.
Messi was taken down just outside the penalty area by Rodrigo Mora on a run down the middle of the field.
With chants of “Messi! Messi!” rocking Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the 37-year-old Argentine star’s left-footed blast cleared the wall and sailed into the top right corner.
Inter Miami tied it at 1 on Telasco Segovia’s goal two minutes into the second half off a cross into the box from from Marcelo Weigandt.
Messi’s goal serves as a continuation of good form in the calendar year.
Though the team has had a slow start, he has 10 goals and seven assists in 12 starts.
It felt like a home game for Miami, with an overwhelmingly pink crowd in Atlanta.
With Messi’s 38th birthday less than a week away, his continued success is a positive sign for fans, including the thousands wearing No. 10 jerseys inside the stadium, that his retirement is still a ways away.
The Group A game between the MLS club and two-time European champion Porto was a crucial game in determining who advances to the knockout round from Group A.