Lionel Messi And Inter Miami Pull Off 3-goal Rally To Top Lafc And Make Concacaf Champions Cup Semis

Down 1-0 on the scoreboard, down 2-0 in total goals in the series and needing three goals to advance, Inter Miami needed a most unlikely rally.

Lionel Messi made it happen.

Inter Miami is headed to the CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinals for the first time, after Messi - the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner - led a dramatic three-goal comeback. He had two goals and an assist, including the clinching penalty kick in the 84th minute, to lift Inter Miami past LAFC 3-1 on Wednesday night and a 3-2 aggregate win in the two-leg series.

"We gave it our all," Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano said. "We wanted it, we wanted to be in the semis, and I think it showed. ... Many times luck has to be on your side, and we had it."

Maybe it was luck. Maybe it was Messi. Maybe it was both.