Lionel Messi took to the field in Fort Lauderdale not only hoping to secure the first leg against Nashville in the Concacaf Champions League round of 16, but also hoping to score a goal.
This goal could have taken him into the select club of 900 goals, where there is only one host: Cristiano Ronaldo (965). However, this date with history will have to wait, as the match ended in a scoreless draw.
When could Messi score his 900th goal?
The Concacaf Champions League is Inter Miami‘s main objective this season, after being eliminated by Vancouver in the semifinals last season.
However, after finishing the match against Nashville without scoring, Javier Mascherano’s team took home a task: to achieve an important victory that would allow them to advance to the next phase of the cup.
And the team captain, Leo Messi, was left with another task to accomplish. The Argentine has scored 899 goals in his career, so the soccer world was expecting his 900th goal to come on Wednesday night. However, despite having a few chances, the clearest was a right-footed shot 20 minutes into the second half, but it was brilliantly saved by Brian Schwake, the opposing goalkeeper.
With the match ending scoreless for both Inter and Messi, the next stop for Leo and company will be next Saturday, March 14, when they visit Charlotte for the fourth matchday of Major League Soccer.
If the match ends without a goal for Leo, he will have another chance against Nashville in the second leg of the Concacaf Champions League on the 18th, but this time at home. This match will be crucial for Javier Mascherano’s team, as they must win if they want to advance to the quarterfinals.
Their hypothetical quarterfinal opponent will come out of the playoff between Philadelphia and América, where the Mexican team dominates after winning 1-0 in the first leg in the United States.
Even so, if Leo doesn’t score with Inter Miami, he can try again when he visits Yankee Stadium to face New York City on March 22 for the MLS.
In April, he will host Austin at Nu Stadium on Saturday the 4th and RB New York on the 11th for the MLS.
In addition, he could make history wearing Argentina‘s colors in the Finnalisima against Spain, as the eagerly awaited match is scheduled to take place on March 27, although there are still doubts about the venue.
The 899 official goals scored by Messi are distributed among the teams he has played for as follows: 672 goals with FC Barcelona, 115 with the Argentina national football team, 80 with Inter Miami CF, and 32 with Paris Saint-Germain. His 900th goal could come at any time, but one thing is certain: it will be unforgettable.
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