Lionel Messi exits early with injury in Inter Miami’s Leagues Cup win, raising concern among fans after he left the field in just the 11th minute. The Argentine star appeared uncomfortable and walked off under his own power during their 5-4 penalty shootout victory over Necaxa at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale.
Lionel Messi Exits Early With Injury But Inter Miami Secures Victory
Despite the fact that Lionel Messi exits early with injury in Inter Miami’s Leagues Cup win, the Herons managed to hold their ground. The match ended 2-2 after full time, pushing the contest into a dramatic penalty shootout.
Coach Javier Mascherano confirmed that Messi experienced some discomfort in his upper right leg or groin area. He noted:
“We won’t know how serious it is until Sunday. There’s likely something there, but he wasn’t in real pain. He felt a pull, that’s all.” Clearly, Messi’s condition will be closely watched in the coming days.
How Lionel Messi Exits Early With Injury During The Match
The moment when Lionel Messi exits early with injury in Inter Miami’s Leagues Cup win began as he drove into the Necaxa defense. He stumbled near the box and collided with Alexis Peña, then fell to the ground in visible frustration.
Moments later, while standing alone near midfield, Messi sat down and laid on his back, signaling for medical attention. Trainers rushed in, and eventually, he left the field to be replaced by Federico Redondo.
Messi’s Early Exit Doesn’t Stop Inter Miami’s Leagues Cup Win
Even though Lionel Messi exits early with injury in Inter Miami’s Leagues Cup win, the team showed resilience. Telasco Segovia opened the scoring for Miami in the 12th minute. However, Miami was reduced to 10 men after Maximiliano Falcon received a red card just five minutes later.
Necaxa equalized through Tomas Badaloni in the 33rd minute. In the second half, Necaxa also went down to 10 men after Cristian Calderon saw red in the 60th minute.
Substitute Ricardo Monreal gave Necaxa a late lead in the 81st minute, but Jordi Alba leveled the score in stoppage time, forcing a shootout.
Penalty Drama After Lionel Messi Exits Early With Injury
Following the tense 2-2 draw, the shootout brought thrilling moments. Even though Lionel Messi exits early with injury in Inter Miami’s Leagues Cup win, his teammates stepped up.
Rodrigo De Paul, Ben Cremaschi, Jordi Alba, Federico Redondo, and Luis Suarez all scored from the spot. Suarez sealed the deal with the final penalty, while Badaloni missed for Necaxa, giving Miami the 5-4 win.
Injury Concerns Rise As Lionel Messi Exits Early With Injury
This isn’t the first time fans have worried, as Lionel Messi exits early with injury in Inter Miami’s Leagues Cup win. Back in March, during Argentina’s World Cup qualifiers, Messi dealt with a thigh strain. The current discomfort raises fears of a recurring issue.
Messi has been phenomenal this season, with 18 goals and 9 assists in 18 MLS appearances. He also assisted both goals in Inter Miami’s 2-1 win over Atlas just days earlier.
What’s Next As Lionel Messi Exits Early With Injury in Leagues Cup Win
Although Lionel Messi exits early with injury in Inter Miami’s Leagues Cup win, the team will look to continue their momentum. Their next match is on Wednesday against Pumas, concluding the group stage of the Leagues Cup.Fans and management alike will hope Messi’s injury is minor. After all, he was instrumental in leading Inter Miami to their first-ever Leagues Cup title in 2023.
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