Messi leads Inter Miami to victory

Fort Lauderdale

Inter Miami CF started their 2025 Leagues Cup journey with a thrilling 2-1 win against Atlas FC from Mexico. The match, played in Fort Lauderdale, saw Lionel Messi assisting both of his team’s goals in a dramatic night of football.

The first goal came in the 57th minute when Sergio Busquets passed the ball to Messi, who then set up Telasco Segovia. Segovia scored his ninth goal for the club. Atlas equalized in the 80th minute through Rivaldo Lozano, but Inter Miami wasn’t done yet. In the sixth minute of stoppage time, Marcelo Weigandt scored the winning goal, sealing the match for Miami.

Rodrigo De Paul, a World Cup winner from Argentina, made his debut for Inter Miami during this game. Another milestone was reached when young midfielder Benjamin Cremaschi became the first player from the club’s Academy to reach 100 first-team appearances.

Messi had a busy game, almost helping Allan Allende score in the 22nd minute. Meanwhile, Luis Suárez came close to scoring twice, hitting the crossbar just before halftime and forcing a save early in the second half.

Goalkeeper Ríos Novo also played a major role, making several important saves to keep Inter Miami in the match. His best came when he stopped a strong header from Eduardo Aguirre and later blocked a shot by Uros Djurdjevic.

With this win, Inter Miami starts their Leagues Cup campaign on a strong note, boosted by teamwork, star performances, and a last-minute winner. The team now looks forward to building on this solid start in the matches ahead.