Lionel Messi suffers hamstring injury as Inter Miami advances in Leagues Cup penalty shootout
Inter Miami secured progression in the Leagues Cup despite losing superstar Lionel Messi to a hamstring injury in the opening minutes, defeating Necaxa 5-4 in a penalty shootout following a dramatic 2-2 draw on Saturday night. The Argentine legend was forced to leave the field after just 11 minutes of play, casting a shadow over what proved to be a thrilling encounter in Matchday 2 of Phase One action.
Miami's perfect penalty conversion rate proved decisive in the shootout, with Luis Suarez delivering the crucial final spot-kick that struck the underside of the crossbar before crossing the line. The victory moves Inter Miami to 1-0-1 with five points in the tournament, maintaining their strong position in the group standings.
The match was filled with drama from start to finish, with both teams ultimately reduced to ten men during a wild contest that featured multiple lead changes and controversial moments. Herons goalkeeper Rocco Rios Novo proved instrumental in the penalty shootout, making a vital save to deny Tomas Badaloni's attempt from the spot.
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Necaxa had taken the advantage earlier when Badaloni scored his third goal of the tournament in the 33rd minute, capitalizing on their numerical superiority after Inter Miami's Maximiliano Falcon received a red card in the 17th minute for denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity. The Mexican side maintained their one-man advantage for 43 minutes before Cristian Calderon's second yellow card in the 60th minute restored parity.
The closing stages provided additional excitement as both teams found the net after the 80th minute. Necaxa's Ricardo Montreal and Miami's Jordi Alba traded goals in quick succession, setting up the penalty shootout conclusion. Miami had opened their account through Telasco Segovia just one minute after Messi's unfortunate departure.
The 38-year-old Messi was able to walk off the field under his own power, providing some relief to concerned supporters and teammates. Inter Miami manager Javier Mascherano addressed the injury situation in his post-match comments, confirming that Messi experienced hamstring soreness while expressing cautious optimism about the severity of the problem.
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Elsewhere in Leagues Cup action, Club America demonstrated remarkable resilience by rallying from behind three separate times to secure a crucial 8-7 penalty shootout victory over Minnesota United. The Mexican outfit finished the match with ten men but showed tremendous character to earn two valuable points despite their numerical disadvantage.
Sebastian Caceres emerged as the hero for America with a dramatic 90th-minute header that completed their third comeback of the match and moved them to 0-0-2 with three points in the tournament. Goalkeeper Luis Malagon then sealed the victory with outstanding penalty saves, including a crucial denial of Nicolas Romero on Minnesota's eighth spot-kick.
Minnesota United had taken the lead on multiple occasions through goals from Tani Oluwaseyi, Bongi Hlongwane, and Carlos Harvey, but America's determination proved unstoppable. The match featured significant momentum shifts, with America equalizing at 1-1 through Michael Boxall's own goal and again at 2-2 via Jose Zuniga's contribution.
Pumas UNAM secured a dramatic 3-2 victory over Atlanta United thanks to Coco Carrasquilla's outstanding second-half performance. The midfielder completed a brace for his second and third goals of the tournament, helping Pumas overcome a halftime deficit to claim all three points in Orlando.
Atlanta United had established a 2-1 halftime lead through a Keylor Navas own goal and Emmanuel Latte Lath's late first-half strike, but their defensive struggles continued in the second period. Carrasquilla's equalizer came from a powerful finish at the edge of the penalty area in the 62nd minute, before he secured victory by converting his own penalty rebound in the 89th minute.
The match featured additional drama when Navas received a red card in the fifth minute of stoppage time, forcing Alvaro Angulo to take over goalkeeping duties for the final moments. Atlanta United's elimination from tournament contention was confirmed after conceding multiple second-half goals for the second consecutive match.
Atletico San Luis advanced through penalty shootouts with a 4-1 victory over Real Salt Lake after the teams finished level at 2-2 in regulation time. Goalkeeper Andres Sanchez proved to be the decisive factor, making crucial saves both during regular play and in the penalty shootout to secure his team's progression.
Real Salt Lake's Braian Angulo scored both goals for his team, including a dramatic 88th-minute equalizer that appeared to be an intended cross but found its way inside the far post. However, Diego Luna's penalty miss in regulation against Sanchez proved costly, as the subsequent shootout saw Brayan Vera miss the target while Sanchez saved Justen Glad's attempt.
Orlando City boosted their knockout phase hopes with a convincing 3-1 victory over Atlas, effectively eliminating the Mexican side from tournament contention. Martin Ojeda's decisive 57th-minute goal proved to be the difference-maker, while Ivan Angulo opened the scoring and Marco Pasalic added late insurance in the 12th minute of stoppage time.
Atlas briefly threatened through Matias Coccaro's 50th-minute equalizer, but their hopes faded following his subsequent red card during a late skirmish involving multiple players from both teams. The defeat leaves Atlas with zero points from two matches after their opening 2-1 loss to Inter Miami.
Portland Timbers maintained their perfect tournament record with a 1-0 victory over ten-man Queretaro, extending their winning streak to two matches. Cristhian Paredes scored his second goal in as many appearances with a powerful finish from a corner kick situation in the 36th minute.
James Pantemis preserved Portland's clean sheet with two crucial saves, maintaining his excellent form between the posts. Queretaro's task became significantly more difficult when Jonathan Perlaza received his marching orders in the 45th minute, making him the second player from the Mexican side to be sent off in consecutive matches.
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