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Article continues belowArticle continues belowArticle continues below<ul><li>Inter Miami beat RSL in home-opener</li><li>Messi nearly scores amazing free-kick</li><li>Cleared off line by opposition defender</li></ul>

VIDEO: Lionel Messi nearly scores outrageous free-kick for Inter Miami! Argentine's long-range strike cleared off the line in opening win over Real Salt Lake

Major League Soccer

Toronto FC

Inter Miami CF

San Jose Earthquakes

Real Salt Lake

Messi stepped up to take an ambitious free-kick from all of 30 yards early on in Inter Miami's opening game of the MLS season. The former Barcelona and PSG man whipped a brilliant effort towards the top corner with his left foot, only to see Real Salt Lake's Justen Glad positioned perfectly on the goal-line. The defender helped out his frozen goalkeeper, heading the ball off the line to keep the score level at 0-0. Glad's clearance denied Messi his first goal of the season, but Miami would still go on to pick up all three points.

WHAT HAPPENED?

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Big-time header from Justen Glad to deny Messi's free kick. 👀 📺 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MLSSeasonPass?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MLSSeasonPass</a>: <a href="https://t.co/D7skJOK7bn">https://t.co/D7skJOK7bn</a> <a href="https://t.co/3DD1xf6t2z">pic.twitter.com/3DD1xf6t2z</a>— Major League Soccer (@MLS) <a href="https://twitter.com/MLS/status/1760476878274498980?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 22, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

WATCH THE CLIP

The Argentine has been known for trademark direct free-kicks his entire career. In fact, on his Herons debut in July, 2023, the <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-us/news/watch-lionel-messi-curls-in-magical-free-kick-winner-inter-miami-debut/blt558694d1a49da93b" target="_blank">maestro drilled home a brilliant shot from a dead ball to win it in stoppage time for Inter Miami.</a>Despite Messi being denied this time, Tata Martino's side would go on to win their MLS opener 2-0 thanks to goals either side of half-time from Robert Taylor and Diego Gomez.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Messi and the Herons will look to make it two wins from two when they take on the Los Angeles Galaxy Sunday evening in their second game of the MLS season. The Argentine will be hoping to grab his first goal of the campaign in California, having played a key role in both of Miami's strikes against Real Salt Lake.

WHAT NEXT FOR LIONEL MESSI AND INTER MIAMI?

VIDEO: Lionel Messi nearly scores outrageous free-kick for Inter Miami! Argentine's long-range strike cleared off the line in opening win over Real Salt Lake | Goal.com South Africa

Lionel Messi nearly scored an outrageous free kick for Inter Miami in their home-opener against Real Salt Lake.

VIDEO: Lionel Messi nearly scores outrageous free-kick for Inter Miami! Argentine&apos;s long-range strike cleared off the line in opening win over Real Salt Lake