Inter Miami produced an impressive comeback to defeat Atlético San Luis 4-2 in a rain-affected Leagues Cup clash on Wednesday, with Lionel Messi stealing the spotlight by becoming the tournament’s all-time leading scorer.
The Argentine icon struck twice in the first half, taking his tally to 14 Leagues Cup goals in just 12 appearances and surpassing Los Angeles FC forward Denis Bouanga, who previously held the record with 13. It was also Messi’s first brace since the FIFA World Cup, marking another milestone in his remarkable career.
The evening did not begin according to plan for Miami. Atlético San Luis grabbed an early advantage in the seventh minute when David Rodríguez headed home to stun the hosts. However, Messi wasted little time responding.
Just four minutes later, Noah Allen delivered a precise long ball into the box, and Messi calmly guided his finish beyond goalkeeper Andrés Sánchez to restore parity. The equaliser shifted the momentum firmly in Miami’s favour as the home side began to dominate possession and create regular chances.
Messi struck again just before halftime, finishing from close range after another incisive attacking move to give Inter Miami a 2-1 lead heading into the break. His influence extended beyond scoring, as he also created opportunities for his teammates throughout the contest.
Inter Miami increased their advantage in the second half through Telasco Segovia before severe weather temporarily halted proceedings. Lightning in the area forced officials to suspend play for around 30 minutes, with players and supporters waiting for conditions to improve before the match resumed.
Following the restart, Atlético San Luis pulled one back through Rafa Llorente to keep the contest alive. However, Inter Miami sealed the result in stoppage time when defender Micael powered home a header from Messi’s delivery, capping another memorable performance from the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner.
Allen enjoyed an outstanding night as well, registering three assists, while Miami stretched their unbeaten run to eight matches across all competitions.
The match also marked Messi’s first start since the World Cup, having returned as a substitute during last weekend’s 2-2 draw against the Columbus Crew after helping Argentina reach a second successive World Cup final.
Inter Miami were without Luis Suárez, who is serving a six-match Leagues Cup suspension following last season’s final against Seattle. Despite the Uruguayan’s absence, Messi inspired Miami to another important victory as they continued their pursuit of a second Leagues Cup title.
Debayan Bhattacharyya is a seasoned sports journalist and digital media professional, currently serving as the Chief Sub Editor at ITV Digital (NewsX). A true Football-Fanatic Bong, his professional journey began at Zee Media, where he kicked off his career as a Sub-Editor for the sports team at India.com and CricketCountry. His ability to blend insightful analysis with rapid-fire news delivery soon led him to Times Network, where he served as a Senior Copy Editor for Times Now. Before his current role at NewsX, Debayan spent a significant tenure at OneIndia’s MyKhel as a Senior Sub Editor.
