Messi’s brace sends Inter Miami into Leagues Cup final

Lionel Messi scored twice late on as Inter Miami fought back to beat Orlando City 3-1 and reach the final of the Leagues Cup on Wednesday night.

After missing two straight matches with a right thigh injury, Messi converted a penalty in the 77th minute to pull Inter level at 1-1 then combined with Jordi Alba to put the hosts ahead in the 88th.

Telasco Segovia added a third in injury time as Miami returned to the final of the Leagues Cup, the cross-border competition featuring teams from Major League Soccer (MLS) and Mexico’s Liga-MX.

Inter Miami won it in 2023, Messi’s first season in MLS.

“We are at a loss for words when it comes to discussing Leo (Messi),” said Javier Morales, the Inter assistant coach who was at the helm as Javier Mascherano watched from the stands serving a red card suspension.

“He trained only two or three days and then he played 90 minutes and the way he played, created situations, scoring goals,” Morales added.

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Messi, who had played once since he was injured on August 2, admitted he felt some trepidation.

Messi said: “I prepared to be in this match because I knew how important it was, against a very tough opponent who had beaten us in both games we faced this year.

“The truth is in the first half I felt a little scared, but in the second I loosened up a bit more.”

Miami will travel to Seattle for Sunday’s final after the Sounders beat reigning MLS Cup champions Los Angeles Galaxy 2-0 in California.

Goals from Pedro de la Vega in the seventh minute and Osaze Rosario in the 57th lifted the Sounders, who held on with 10 men after Nouhou Tolo was sent off in the 83rd minute for a sliding tackle on Gabriel Pec.

The finalists are both assured of berths in the 2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup, with the winner of the third-place playoff between Orlando and Los Angeles also punching their ticket to the regional tournament.

The Star