The 2025 Leagues Cup is reaching its final stages, and on Wednesday, the two finalists will be decided. In Florida, Inter Miami and Orlando City are playing one of the semifinals—and there, Lionel Messi two goals.
Things looked tough for the Herons. They had fallen behind in the final minutes of the first half when Marco Pasalic took advantage of a mistake by Maximiliano Falcon and scored the opener with a powerful left-footed strike that left goalkeeper Oscar Ustari with no chance.
After the break, Javier Mascherano’s side took on the responsibility of attacking to find the equalizer but struggled to create real danger in the opposing box. In that context, the visitors nearly extended their lead with a chance that led to a penalty shout for a foul on Angulo inside the box. However, neither the referee nor VAR saw enough to award it.
Messi saves Inter Miami
Unlike the earlier play involving Orlando City’s attack, minutes later referee Walter Enrique Lopez Ramos did see a foul inside the box on a play where Tadeo Allende attempted a header.
That gave Inter Miami the chance to equalize with just 13 minutes left in the match. Lionel Messi stepped up to take the high-pressure penalty and did not miss: with a powerful shot to the post, he gave goalkeeper Pedro Gallese no chance and leveled the match at 1–1.
The penalty also led to the sending off of David Brekalo. Those two blows seemed to unravel Orlando City, who in the final minutes couldn’t stop the Herons’ momentum. And Messi was key to that—at the 88th minute, he linked up with Jordi Alba and scored a beautiful goal with his left foot. In stoppage time, Telasco Segovia netted the third goal.
* Developing story
