Lionel Messi's last-gasp assist seals Inter Miami's 2-1 win over Atlas in Leagues Cup
delivered two crucial assists, including a dramatic one in stoppage time, to lead
Inter Miami
to a 2-1 victory over
Atlas
in their
Leagues Cup
opener on Wednesday night. The match marked Messi's return following a one-game MLS suspension for skipping the All-Star Game, along with teammate Jordi Alba.
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Messi assisted on the game-winning goal in the final seconds, finding
Marcelo Weigandt
, whose strike in the 96th minute was initially flagged offside before VAR confirmed the goal. Earlier, in the 58th minute, Messi set up
Telasco Segovia
for the opener, giving Inter Miami a 1-0 lead.
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Atlas fought back with a late equalizer from
Rivaldo Lozano
in the 82nd minute, setting the stage for Messi's late heroics.
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The win extends Messi's outstanding July, during which he tallied five assists and eight goals across competitions, earning MLS Player of the Month honors while helping Miami go 4-1-1 in league play.
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The first half was tightly contested and physical, with both sides creating chances but unable to break through. Inter Miami goalkeeper Rocco Ríos Novo made three key saves in the first half, including a sliding stop on a close-range header from Eduardo Aguirre.
Luis Suárez nearly gave Miami the lead at halftime, smashing a shot off the crossbar just before the whistle.
The match also saw the debut of Argentine midfielder
Rodrigo De Paul
, Messi's national team teammate, who recently signed with the club. With the win, Inter Miami begins their Leagues Cup campaign on a high note.
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