Inter Miami won the match in a dramatic shootout thanks to Jordi Alba’s late goal to level the score, but concerns now loom over Lionel Messi’s injury.
Messi was dribbling toward the opponent’s box when Raul Sanchez and Alexi Penia challenged him, causing him to fall to the ground. Frustrated, he slammed the grass. He got up and tried to continue playing, but after just a couple of minutes, he left the field looking uncomfortable and headed straight to the dressing room.
After that, the match saw plenty of excitement and drama. Miami went ahead early, then fell behind, only to equalize late and eventually win in the shootout. But in a game where Messi left injured in the 11th minute, everything else felt secondary.
In this League Cup match, Miami drew 2-2 with Club Necaxa before winning the shootout 5-4.
Miami had to play with ten men after Maximiliano Falcon was shown a straight red card in the 17th minute. Necaxa’s Cristian Calderon also left the field after receiving a second yellow card in the 60th minute.
Early stats favored Necaxa, who controlled possession for 53% of the game and took 14 shots, 9 on target. Miami managed 11 shots with 4 on goal but prevailed in the shootout.
Miami’s goalkeeper Roco Rios Novo was the hero in the shootout, saving one penalty. With the primary keeper Drake Callendar and second-choice Unai Ustariz injured, Novo — who joined Miami last January — has been impressively reliable between the posts.
Shortly after Messi left the field, Miami took the lead from a stunning goal by Téllez Segovia just outside the box. Necaxa equalized in the 33rd minute.
Substitute Ricardo Monreal put Necaxa ahead again in the 81st minute, bringing them close to victory. But in the third minute of added time, Jordi Alba scored a brilliant header from a free kick to send Miami fans into celebration.
Miami converted all five penalties in the shootout, with goals from Rodrigo De Paul, Benjamin Cremaschi, Jordi Alba, Federico Redondo, and Luis Suarez. Roco Rios Novo saved Necaxa’s third shot. Suarez’s final attempt hit the crossbar, bounced in off the keeper, and sealed the win.
Despite all the excitement, Messi’s injury is now the main focus. Before the injury, he had been playing continuously. Until recently deciding not to participate in the All-Star match, Messi had played every minute of 16 consecutive games across competitions. This is the longest streak since joining Miami, having appeared in 30 matches this year.
In brilliant form, the Miami captain leads Major League Soccer jointly with 18 goals. Though he didn’t score in this League Cup opener, he assisted both Miami goals — before this injury setback.
Messi missed significant time last season due to injuries. His condition will be clearer after medical tests. Post-match, coach Javier Mascherano expressed a mix of hope and concern:
“Leo was feeling discomfort in his hamstring. We won’t know the severity until tomorrow. He’s not in much pain, but there’s likely some issue. Hopefully, it’s nothing serious because he isn’t feeling pain — just discomfort.”
