Soccer <\/p>\n
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. \u2013 When it comes to Leagues Cup<\/a>, Florida is pink. Lionel Messi<\/a> made sure of that.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The legendary No. 10 had a heroic return from injury Wednesday night at Chase Stadium, scoring a late brace as Inter Miami CF<\/a> rallied for a dramatic 3-1 semifinal win<\/a> over Orlando City<\/a>.<\/p>\n The result locked up qualification for the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup<\/a> and secured passage to Sunday\u2019s Leagues Cup final at Seattle Sounders FC<\/a> (8 pm ET | MLS Season Pass, Apple TV+<\/a>; TUDN, Univision).<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Even more satisfying: the Herons did it in the Florida Derby, exacting revenge on an in-state rival that dominated the MLS regular-season series with two lopsided victories by a combined 7-1 scoreline.<\/p>\n “We had to win this game at home,” homegrown defender Ian Fray<\/a> told reporters post-match. “They beat us here 3-0 before<\/a>, and we just lost 4-1<\/a>. So we had to win.”<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n As has often been the case, Miami leaned on Messi to carry them through a must-win game.<\/p>\n And carry them he did, despite lingering effects of a hamstring injury that forced him to miss the Herons\u2019 previous two games.<\/p>\n “I wanted to play,” Messi said in a post-match interview with MLS Season Pass. “Ever since I came back against the Galaxy, I felt discomfort there and didn\u2019t feel comfortable. I prepared myself to play this game because I knew how important it was.<\/p>\n “The opponent, it\u2019s a difficult opponent that had beaten us twice this season.”<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n QUE GOLAZOOOOO ????\u2728 pic.twitter.com\/L2MDmoxSSR<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) August 28, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n By Messi’s own admission, it took him time to get back into rhythm against a hard-nosed Orlando side that relied on physicality to impose their game \u2013 to the point of defender David Brekalo<\/a> seeing a red card for a second bookable offense.<\/p>\n “Honestly, in the first half, I felt a little scared,” Messi said. “But in the second half, I loosened up a bit.”<\/p>\n Specifically, the Argentine icon canceled out Marco Pa\u0161ali\u0107<\/a>\u2019s opener on the stroke of halftime with a 77th-minute penalty \u2013 after Brekalo pulled down Tadeo Allende<\/a> \u2013 that leveled the score.<\/p>\n Eleven minutes later, he combined for a lovely give-and-go with fellow FC Barcelona legend Jordi Alba<\/a> before firing past goalkeeper Pedro Gallese<\/a>.<\/p>\n Substitute Telasco Segovia<\/a> added a stunning goal of his own in second-half stoppage time, but Messi once again did the heaviest lifting for Miami \u2013 even at less than full capacity.<\/p>\n “I don\u2019t know if he was at 100 percent, coming off an injury after being inactive for a bit,” midfielder Sergio Busquets<\/a> said of his former Bar\u00e7a teammate. “But look at what he\u2019s done.”<\/p>\n Added Fray: “He\u2019s been doing this for so long. It\u2019s super impressive that he\u2019s still doing it at this age. It\u2019s incredible.”<\/p>\n For assistant manager Javier Morales, who replaced suspended manager Javier Mascherano on the sidelines, the 38-year-old again showed why he\u2019s in a class of his own.<\/p>\n “With Leo, words come up short,” Morales said. “A player who practically didn\u2019t train \u2013 he trained two days, three days \u2013 today he played 90 minutes the way he did: creating situations, scoring goals. There\u2019s nothing more to say. Everyone knows what he is.<\/p>\n “\u2026 He\u2019s the best in history.”<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Messi and @InterMiamiCF<\/a> are heading to their second @LeaguesCup<\/a> Final ???? pic.twitter.com\/csW61yKTW7<\/a><\/p>\nMasterful Messi<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
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Iconic performance<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
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