'Take The L': MLS Takes A Dig At Mexico's Club Necaxa After Dramatic Inter Miami Win
Inter Miami beat Club Necaxa 5-4 in penalties after a 2-2 draw in the Leagues Cup. Messi was injured early, Alba scored late, and Monreal's celebration backfired.
In a high-stakes Leagues Cup showdown, Inter Miami edged out Mexico's Club Necaxa 5-4 in a penalty shootout after a dramatic 2-2 draw at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale.
The night was full of storylines—from Lionel Messi's early injury to Ricardo Monreal's Cristiano Ronaldo-inspired celebration and the cheeky reaction it provoked from MLS' official X (formerly Twitter) account.
Ricardo Monreal put Necaxa ahead 2-1 in the 81st minute with a well-taken goal and didn't hold back in celebrating, channeling Cristiano Ronaldo's iconic 'SIUUU' pose in front of Inter Miami fans. But the lead didn't last long. Jordi Alba, stepping up in Messi's absence, smashed home a stoppage-time equalizer in the 92nd minute to force penalties.
Inter Miami coolly converted all five spot-kicks, while Tomas Badaloni, who had scored Necaxa's earlier equalizer, missed his penalty. Monreal, despite converting his own attempt, saw his celebration come back to haunt him, especially when MLS' official account posted a blunt message post-match: 'Take the L."
Lionel Messi Injured Early in Match
The match took a worrying turn for Miami in just the 11th minute when Lionel Messi—fresh off a stellar season tallying 24 goals and 10 assists in 31 games—went down with a suspected muscle injury. The Argentine captain appeared to strain his upper right leg or groin while charging into the Necaxa box, stumbling after a collision with defender Alexis Peña.
Shortly afterward, Messi was seen alone on the pitch holding his leg before lying down and signaling for medical help. He was replaced by Federico Redondo and walked off under his own power, but the concern was clear.
Post-match, Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano gave a cautious update.
'He felt a discomfort, and we will not be able to know until tomorrow how severe the injury is," Mascherano said.
'There's probably something there. Maybe not as important, because he was really not in pain. But he did feel a pull."
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