Orlando will play in a third-place game, and the top three finishers in the tournament earn berths in the 2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup
Lionel Messi of Inter Miami CF celebrates with teammates Telasco Segovia and Tadeo Allende after winning the Leagues Cup Semifinal between Inter Miami CF and Orlando City at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Pic/AFP
Lionel Messi scored twice late on as Inter Miami fought back to beat Orlando City 3-1 and reach the final of the Leagues Cup on Wednesday. After missing two straight matches with a right thigh injury, Messi converted a penalty in the 77th minute to pull Inter level at 1-1 then combined with Jordi Alba to put the hosts ahead in the 88th.
Telasco Segovia added a third in injury time as Miami returned to the final of the Leagues Cup, the cross-border competition featuring teams from Major League Soccer and Mexico's Liga-MX. Inter won it in 2023, Messi's first season in MLS. They will face reigning MLS Cup champions Los Angeles Galaxy or Seattle Sounders in Sunday's final.
Orlando will play in a third-place game, and the top three finishers in the tournament earn berths in the 2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup. In a high-energy first half, Croatia's Marco Pasalic silenced the crowd at Miami's Chase Stadium with a goal in first-half added time. Luis Muriel slipped a pass into the area and Maximiliano Falcon's attempt to clear it instead saw the ball deflect back to Pasalic, who rifled a left-footed shot into the net.
Inter players appealed saying the ball hit Pasalic's arm but VAR confirmed the goal. Orlando, who had twice humbled their cross-state rivals this season, continued to stymie Inter in the second half. Luis Suarez forced a save from Orlando keeper Pedro Gallese while Messi twice threatened in the area only to find himself swamped in a sea of defenders.
Inter coach Javier Mascherano was visibly frustrated as he watched from the stands, having received a red card during the quarter-final win over Tigres UANL. Orlando lost some momentum in the 59th minute when Guatemalan referee Walter Lopez denied them a penalty shout after Sergio Busquets' foul on Ivan Angulo. And the momentum shifted irrevocably Miami's way in the 74th minute when substitute Tadeo Allende drew a foul in the box.
David Brekalo's challenge included a tug on Allende's jersey and earned him a second yellow card. He departed as Messi went to the spot, the Argentine great firing past Gallese into the lower right corner of the net. Eight-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi sparked joyous celebrations with his second goal 11 minutes later. Orlando had won two prior matches against Miami this season by a combined 7-1 margin, including a 4-1 rout earlier this month.
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