In his first competitive match against a European team since leaving Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the 2022-23 season, Lionel Messi delivered an exciting performance.

Messi secured the winning goal for Inter Miami on Thursday, helping them come back against the Portuguese team Porto in their second group stage match of the ongoing, U.S.-hosted FIFA Club World Cup.

Porto struck first, scoring within just eight minutes at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, as striker Samu Omorodion netted a penalty following a foul by Miami defender Noah Allen on Joao Mario.

The European champions doubled their lead in the second half, but Miami’s Telasco Segovia equalized just after the break.

That paved the way for Messi. When the Argentine World Cup winner, turning 38 next week, took a 25-yard free kick in the 54th minute, expectations were high.

And he did not disappoint; the former Barcelona legend curved the shot past Porto’s goalkeeper Cláudio Ramos, placing it perfectly in the top corner, giving Inter Miami a 2-1 lead, which they held onto against Porto’s late surge.

Despite Porto taking 14 shots to Miami’s 10, they were less effective; Miami’s goalkeeper Oscar Ustari only had to make three saves during the match.

This victory is another impressive feat for Major League Soccer teams participating in the tournament. Miami had played to a scoreless draw against Al Ahly just last week, while the Seattle Sounders and LAFC faced narrow defeats against Botafogo and Chelsea.

Now, Miami is on track to secure a spot in the knockout stage with just a draw in their next match. They will conclude their initial round schedule on Monday against Brazil’s Palmeiras at Hard Rock Stadium.

On the other hand, Porto sits with only one point from two games and must defeat Al Ahly in their final group match to have any hope of advancing.