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Inter Miami secured a victory in the Leagues Cup on Saturday, defeating Necaxa 5-4 on penalty kicks after a 2-2 draw, but an injury to superstar Lionel Messi overshadowed the win.
The 38-year-old Argentine forward exited the match just 11 minutes into the game. He was seen receiving treatment for what appeared to be an injury to his upper right leg or groin before walking to the locker room.
After the match, Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano said the full extent of the injury would not be known until Sunday.
“He felt discomfort, and we will not be able to know until tomorrow how severe the injury is,” Mascherano said. “He did feel a pull.”
The game was a back-and-forth affair. Inter Miami scored first in the 12th minute but then lost a player to a red card five minutes later.
Necaxa equalised and then also went down to 10 men in the second half. Necaxa took the lead late in the game, but Miami’s Jordi Alba scored in stoppage time to force the penalty shootout.
During the shootout, Miami’s Rodrigo De Paul, Ben Cremaschi, Jordi Alba, Federico Redondo, and Luis Suarez all converted their kicks to secure the win.
Messi has had a successful season with Inter Miami, scoring 18 goals and providing nine assists in 18 MLS appearances. He led the club to the inaugural Leagues Cup title in 2023.
Miami will conclude their group stage play in the tournament on Wednesday against Pumas.
