Miami: Lionel Messi scored twice, marking his first goals since the World Cup, as Inter Miami rallied from behind to defeat Atl©tico San Luis 4-2 in a rain-interrupted Leagues Cup match.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the match at Nu Stadium faced a 30-minute delay in the second half due to lightning. Messi found the net in the 11th and 44th minutes, bringing his Leagues Cup total to 14 goals in 12 matches, surpassing Los Angeles FC’s Denis Bouanga as the tournament’s all-time leading scorer.
Telasco Segovia and defender Micael also contributed goals for Inter Miami, while Noah Allen assisted three times, as Miami extended its unbeaten streak to eight matches. Messi’s return to the starting lineup was his second appearance since the World Cup. Previously, he played as a substitute in a 2-2 draw against Columbus Crew.
The match saw an early goal from David Rodrguez, who put San Luis ahead with a header. However, Messi equalized in the 11th minute with a well-placed cross from Allen that bypassed goalkeeper Andr©s S¡nchez. Messi added another goal from close range before half-time and assisted Micael’s stoppage-time header. Rafa Llorente scored San Luis’ second goal.
Messi led Inter Miami to the Leagues Cup title in 2023 soon after joining the team. Miami reached the final again last year but was defeated 3-0 by Seattle in a match marred by a brawl involving Luis Su¡rez. Su¡rez received a six-match suspension from the tournament and was absent for Wednesday’s match, as well as this year’s Leagues Cup. The experienced forward had scored seven goals in his previous four matches.