League Cup 2025: Inter Miami Rallies to beat Necaxa on penalties after Messi leaves with injury

Luis Suárez scored the game-winning penalty kick, while Inter Miami ralled in the Leagues Cup on Sunday to beat Necaxa after losing Lionel Messi to a hamstring injury in the opening minutes.

Jordi Alba had the draw on a header and made it 2-2 in the second minute of the stop time to force the shooting.

Inter Miami then converted all five of his penalties, and goalkeeper Rocco Ríos Novo denied Tomás Badaloni in the third round of the shootout. Suárez hit the winning shot in the top left corner.

Both teams were reduced by the end of the game to 10 men after the Maximiliano Falcon of Inter Miami was thrown out for refusing an obvious goal scoring chance with a 17th minute error, while Necaxa’s Cristian Calderon received a second yellow card in the 60th minute.

Messi was injured around the eighth minute when he fell as he was challenged by a few defenders near the penalty area. He slowly walked to the Inter Miami bank before he sat down on the field. Trainers came out and worked in his right upper thigh area before he was immersed in the 11th.

Namely it happened | Inter Miami vs Necaxa, Leagues Cup 2025

Telasco Segovia placed his side 1-0 minutes after Messi left on a feed by Inter Miami newcomer Rodrigo de Paul, who had two assists in just his second game with the club. It was the second goal of Segovia of the tournament.

Badaloni tied it on 1 on a shot that he tapped along Ríos Novo in the 33rd minute to the left under corner.

Ricardo Monreal brought the Mexican club ahead of what looked like the winning score in the 81st minute before Veteran Alba left behind, broke a header in the back of the Paul’s free kick.