NASHVILLE, Tennessee: Lionel Messi scored early in regulation and converted the first shot in penalty kicks as Inter Miami beat Nashville SC 10-9 on penalties in the Leagues Cup final on Saturday night.
Messi scored for the 10th time in seven games since joining Inter Miami, converting in the 23rd minutes.
The ball landed at Messi’s feet after a pass from teammate Robert Taylor was blocked. Messi dribbled past Nashville defender Walker Zimmerman and unleashed a bending shot from just outside the penalty box into the top left corner of the goal. Diving goalkeeper Elliot Panicco had no chance at playing the ball.
Nashville fans had booed Messi on his previous touches of the ball, but the stadium erupted in cheers when the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner who led Argentina to the World Cup crown last year scored.
Messi had a shot from a similar position in the 71st minute, but hit the post as the teams played to a 1-1 draw in regulation.
Messi calmly converted the first shot in penalties as Miami claimed its first trophy.
Lionel Messi scores in regulation, penalties as Inter Miami beats Nashville in League Cup final
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Lionel Messi scores in regulation, penalties as Inter Miami beats Nashville in League Cup final
- Messi scored for the 10th time in seven games since joining Inter Miami
US invests in counter-drone tech to protect FIFA World Cup venues
The US will invest $115 million in counter-drone measures to bolster security around the FIFA World Cup and America’s 250th Anniversary celebrations, the Department of Homeland Security said on Monday, the latest sign of governments stepping up drone defenses.
The FIFA World Cup will be a major test of President Donald Trump’s pledge to keep the US secure, with over a million travelers expected to visit for the tournament and billions more watching matches from overseas.
The threat of drone attacks has become a growing concern since the war in Ukraine has demonstrated their lethal capabilities. And recent drone incidents have worried both European and US airports.
“We are entering a new era to defend our air superiority to protect our borders and the interior of the United States,” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement. Defense companies are developing a range of technologies aimed at countering drones, including tracking software, lasers, microwaves and autonomous machine guns.
The DHS did not specify which technologies it would deploy to World Cup venues. The announcement comes weeks after the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which sits under DHS, said it granted $250 million to 11 states hosting World Cup matches to buy counter-drone technologies.
Last summer, New York Governor Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, called on Trump, a Republican, to bolster federal support for defending against drone attacks.
