Messi and Inter Miami WIN the Leagues Cup on penalties

There are times a team needs moments of genius from a star man and there are others when it needs the grit, determination and steel of team spirit. Inter Miami needed it all to beat Nashville and win the Leagues Cup on Saturday night, even with a moment of utter brilliance, once again, from Lionel Messi.

It was the goalkeeper, Drake Callendar, who was the hero on the night for Miami. He scored what turned out to be the decisive penalty and saved the following spot kick from his opposite number, Elliot Panicco, for a 10-9 victory after the scores ended at 1-1 on 90 minutes.

As Panicco lined up to take his spot-kick, with a sold-out Geodis Park holding its breath, Messi had stepped out of the huddle with his Miami team on the halfway line. He took a deep breath and looked up to the heavens, expecting to be needed to take his second penalty of the shootout.

But Callendar dived left and beat Panicco's effort away. Messi, suddenly, was using the air in his lungs for one final sprint towards his goalkeeper who had helped him crown the most remarkable first month in the United States with Miami's first ever trophy and the 44th of his incredible career - the most of anyone in the game.

There were swathes of this final where Miami struggled. They spent large spells under pressure from Nashville and were easily second best before Messi scored an outstanding goal in the 23rd minute.

It was Walker Zimmerman, the USA international and Nashville captain, who was made to look a fool by Messi's genius but frankly, it could have been Sergio Ramos trying to stop him. Still, at 36 years old, the game has no answer when Messi's eyes light up and that breathtaking instinct takes over.

Miami had attacked down the left and Robert Taylor's pass was