Lionel Messi's Goal-Scoring Streak Lives On With A Sensational Late Strike As Inter Miami Defeats Charlotte 4-0 To Reach The Leagues Cup Semi-final.

Lionel Messi goal-scoring streak continues, so does Inter Miami's winning streak, as they cruised past Charlotte FC 4-0 in the Leagues Cup quarter-final encounter on Friday night.

Messi arriving the United States, has been nothing short of electric, scoring late winners and equalizers, bagging ridiculous free-kicks, bringing teammates into the attack, and dazzling crowds to remind everyone how much fun it can be to be the greatest player of all-time.

The Seven-time Ballon d'Or winner, who led his country Argentina to the World Cup crown last year, has yet to lose a match with Miami, scoring in all five of his appearances with Miami since his debut on July 21.

He refused to take a night off, as he continued his white-hot ways by putting the cherry on top with another strike in a 4-0 rout over Charlotte FC to advance to the Leagues Cup semifinal.

The Leagues Cup is a 47-team redesigned competition composed of clubs from MLS and Mexico's top league that now is whittled down to the final four.

Messi was less influential than usual in the opening half, as Charlotte almost found a way to keep him off the scoresheet, but all that did was create openings for his teammates. 

Josef Martinez got the scoring started with a penalty kick in the 12th minute at the DRV PNK stadium. 

Messi's first good chance came 30 minutes into the match when some nifty short passes on the left side of the box led to the 35-year-old getting an opportunity from about 6 yards out. His shot was knocked away by Charlotte goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina, preserving what was then a 1-0 lead.

Robert Taylor then continued his own hot streak when he took a pass from DeAndre Yedlin near the top of the box and sent a one-timer off the hand of a sprawling Kahlina to put Inter Miami up 2-0 before halftime (32nd mins).

In the second half, Charlotte FC failed to make the necessary changes and an own-goal by Adilson Malanda put Miami 3-0 up in the 78th minute, before Messi was picked out by attacker Leo Campana and finished it off easily with his left foot three minutes from full-time.

The Argentine star channeled his inner-superhero once again as he celebrated like Spiderman, angling his hands like the Marvel superhero web shooters. Previously, Messi had celebrated with representations of both Thor and Black Panther.

 

Leo couldn't take a night off from scoring!

Messi makes it 4-0. 🇦🇷 pic.twitter.com/9E2ojuweZZ

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) August 12, 2023

It's Messi eighth goal in five matches with his new club, putting him alone in first place for the Golden Boot award.

Before Messi: Inter Miami had won five of its 22 MLS matches this season.

With Messi: Inter Miami has won all five of its Leagues Cup matches, and now is just two wins from a trophy.

The last-placed team in the Eastern Conference, will now match up on Tuesday, August 15 against the Philadelphia Union, who defeated Queretaro 2-1 on a 101st minute winner.