Messi gesture to opponent sums him up after Inter Miami reach another Cup final

Lionel Messi swapped shirts with Luciano Acosta after their U.S. Open Cup match. (Image: Getty Images) Lionel Messi gave fellow Argentina international Luciano Acosta his shirt in a swap made minutes after Inter Miami defeated FC Cincinnati in a U.S. Open Cup semi-final shootout after finishing extra-time level at 3-3. Acosta scored the match’s first goal for Cincinnati before Messi helped lead a comeback with two assists. Messi patted Acosta’s son, who has played youth soccer, on the head before initiating the jersey exchange. And Acosta’s daughter appeared to smile as she saw her father receiving a priceless gift from one of the greatest soccer stars of all time. Messi and Acosta hugged before going their separate ways: Messi back to celebrations in which he was a central figure, and Acosta to a dejected locker room he needed to cheer up. The match was the second in a row in which an opponent handled Messi well but not well enough. Last weekend, Nashville SC largely isolated Messi from his midfield teammates but could do little to prevent him from latching on to a deflection and quickly striking a powerful shot past goalkeeper Elliot Panicco. Like Cincinnati, Nashville lost in a shootout. Lionel Messi celebrated as Inter Miami came back from a 2-0 deficit. (Image: Getty Images) Cincinnati used the Nashville match to build their tactics for Wednesday night – but feared even a slight breakdown in focus could undo their plan. “I thought Nashville played a very good game, but it just takes a moment or two and he can make the difference. I think you saw that in the Nashville game,” said Cincinnati head coach Pat Noonan beforehand. Noonan added: “We just try to talk through the ways to either limit his ability to get on the ball, or when they do have the ball and when plays break down, because they will, try to recognize where he might show up to cause you some problems.” Messi’s first assist came from a wide free-kick cross, cutting the deficit to 2-1. He has demonstrated the danger of giving Inter Miami any set pieces, his service and chance creation too good to let him stand over the ball. Noonan was likely even more upset about the second one, as none of his players showed urgency in pressuring Messi before he easily lifted a long ball over the defense and onto the path of Leonardo Campana, who scored to force extra-time. Perhaps the intensity of marking Messi throughout the game had finally worn down the minds of Cincinnati’s defensive banks. Lionel Messi remains in contention to win a treble with his new club. (Image: Getty Images) Josef Martinez and Yuya Kubo exchanged goals in extra time to set up the shootout. Messi took a slow run-up and slid his penalty to the left of goalkeeper Alec Kann. Drake Callender, also the hero against Nashville, saved Nick Hagglund’s attempt before 18-year-old Benjamin Cremaschi buried the clinching penalty. After Inter Miami won the Leagues Cup final over Nashville, manager Gerardo Martino said each big result gave the future of the Messi-led project a rosier color. He claimed the change of hue could then inspire better and better results. That message felt true Wednesday night after another improbable comeback. “When you’re trying to build a team, you come across a competition like this and win it, surely this makes everyone’s enthusiasm and confidence grow,” Martino said. “Now we have a future that looks much better.”