MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Lionel Messi delivered two crucial assists, contributing to Inter Miami’s 2-1 victory over Atlas in their Leagues Cup opener on Wednesday evening. Messi’s performance came after he and fellow teammate Jordi Alba had been sidelined for one match by Major League Soccer for missing the All-Star game. The decisive moment of the match had Messi connecting with Marcelo Weigandt, setting up the winning goal in the final minute of added time.
“This is a competition we consistently perform well in,” Messi expressed in Spanish during a post-game interview. “We handled ourselves admirably against a strong opponent.” Messi was instrumental in opening the scoring too, assisting Telasco Segovia’s goal. Receiving a precise pass from Sergio Busquets, Messi effortlessly transitioned it to Segovia for a straightforward finish in the 58th minute.
The game saw Rivaldo Lozano score an equalizer for Atlas, a club from Guadalajara, in the 80th minute. The tension was palpable until Weigandt’s goal in the 96th minute was confirmed by VAR, overturning an initial offside call. This outstanding performance meant Messi collected five assists in July, earning him the title of Major League Soccer Player of the Month. This accolade came after he scored eight goals, helping Miami to a 4-1-1 record in league play.
Both teams created several scoring opportunities in a fiercely contested first half, which included a heated exchange between Inter Miami’s coach, Javier Mascherano, and Atlas’ coach, Gonzalo Pineda. The disagreement arose after an Atlas player went down, causing concern when play continued. “It was merely a soccer incident,” Pineda commented through an interpreter. “I was reacting to the continuation of play. I communicated to Mascherano that it wasn’t personal, just part of the game. We resolved it in the locker room; it wasn’t a significant issue.”
Inter Miami’s goalkeeper, Rocco Ríos Novo, was crucial in the first half with three saves, notably thwarting Eduardo Aguirre’s header with a goal-hungry slide. Luis Suárez narrowly missed with a powerful shot that hit the crossbar just before the halftime whistle.
Rodrigo De Paul, an Argentine midfielder and longtime teammate of Messi on the national team, debuted for Inter Miami. De Paul’s recent signing was officially announced last week, adding a key piece to the Miami squad.
Once Weigandt’s winning goal was confirmed, celebrations erupted at Chase Stadium. Messi, with a fist pump of triumph, joined De Paul and Suárez in gleeful celebration. Pineda remarked on Messi’s visible joy, doubly noting the high-caliber competitions the 38-year-old has thrived in throughout his career. “He’s won so much,” Pineda noted. “He generally remains calm and composed.”
Mascherano praised the team’s spirited celebrations, attributing them to the exhilarating nature of their victory. “We play to succeed,” Mascherano stated through an interpreter. “That’s the essence of this magnificent sport. Our spirited celebration was merely an outlet for our emotions. We secured a win in a challenging game, in a memorable fashion, securing victory at the last possible moment.”