CONCACAF Champions Cup: Messi secures victory for Inter Miami

(AFP) In one of the coldest nights of his career, Lionel Messi scored the winning goal for Inter Miami, defeating Sporting Kansas City 1-0 in the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions Cup first-round tie on Wednesday.

The Argentine star took just 56 minutes to score his first goal of the new season. This goal provides Miami with a valuable advantage heading into the second leg, which they will host on Tuesday.

The match was originally scheduled for Tuesday but was postponed due to the arrival of a snowstorm in Kansas City, where temperatures were approaching record lows.

By game time, there was no trace of the snow that had covered the turf at Children’s Mercy Park, but the atmosphere remained frigid, with temperatures dipping below 5 degrees Fahrenheit. 

"I've never experienced such a cold situation," said Javier Mascherano, Inter's technical director, at the press conference.

"I'm very proud of them because I think it's impossible to play in these conditions. It's not human," he concluded.

"El Jefecito" officially made his debut as the head coach of Inter Miami, starting Lionel Messi along with two other veteran stars, Luis Suárez and Sergio Busquets. Meanwhile, Jordi Alba was unavailable due to a suspension from the previous edition.