<div style="text-align: justify; "><span style="font-size: 1rem;">Lionel Messi scored twice, including a brilliant late equaliser, as Inter Miami advanced past FC Dallas to the quarter-finals of the Leagues Cup on penalties after an enthralling 4-4 draw.</span><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A trademark curling free-kick in the 85th minute, Messi's seventh goal in his fourth game for Miami, took the game to the shootout after Miami had trailed 4-2 with 10 minutes to go.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Leagues Cup, the tournament for clubs from Major League Soccer and Mexico's Liga MX, does not feature extra-time with drawn games going directly to penalties.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Messi put Miami ahead in the sixth minute with a clinical side-foot finish from a Jordi Alba pull-back.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It was initially ruled out for offside but the decision was reversed after the referee, on review, ruled that Josef Martinez had not blocked the view of the goalkeeper.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Dallas drew level in the 37th minute through Argentine Facundo Quignon, who connected with a fine pull-back from overlapping full-back Marco Farfan.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The home side grabbed the lead on the stroke of half-time with an outstanding finish from Bernard Kamungo who left two defenders behind before burying the chance.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Another of Dallas's Argentine players, Alan Velasco, made it 3-1 in the 63rd minute with a free-kick from the left which flew untouched through a crowded box and into the far corner.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Miami narrowed the deficit through teenage substitute Benjamin Cremaschi who slotted in a low ball from Alba, just a minute after coming off the bench.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">An own goal from Robert Taylor, as he tried to intercept a Paul Arriola pass, restored the two-goal cushion for Dallas at 4-2.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Messi then chipped a free-kick into the box and Farfan, unchallenged, inexplicably headed into his own goal to keep Miami alive.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Five minutes from the end Messi strode up and curled a free-kick from 20 yards superbly into the top corner to take it to penalties.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Messi converted the first penalty in the shoot-out, Paxton Pomykal missed for Dallas and Cremaschi secured Miami's place in the last eight with the final spot-kick. AFP</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>