De Paul leads Inter Miami against Necaxa after Messi's injury

Rodrigo de Paul carried Inter Miami on his back after Lionel Messi was injured just 10 minutes into the match. The former Atletico Madrid player was key with two assists as the Floridians salvaged a dramatic 2-2 draw against Necaxa during regulation time. Subsequently, the Herons prevailed in a penalty shootout by 5-4 on the second day of the Leagues Cup 2025 at Chase Stadium.

After the fraternal Argentine greeting in the preamble between Messi and Fernando Gago, Necaxa's technical director, the Herons had a nightmarish first half. The Argentine star barely had time for a typical start of his own with the ball under control, and chased by two opponents before feeling muscular discomfort in his right leg. It was barely 10 minutes into the game when the Miami star stretched out on the pitch, at midfield and in front of the bench.

Without Messi and down a player in just 20 minutes

The Argentine star received medical attention and, after being picked up by Spanish-Argentine Federico Redondo in the 11th minute, walked off to the dressing room.

A minute later, Inter Miami put together a move that made it 1-0. After receiving an assist from De Paul, Venezuelan Telasco Segovia connected with a shot from the midfield and placed the ball into the upper right corner before the flight of Argentine goalkeeper Ezequiel Unsain.

Just five minutes later, in the 17th minute, the Garzas were down to 10 men due to the controversial straight red card of Uruguayan defender Maximiliano Falcón for a foul on Colombian striker Díber Cambindo in the final quarter of the field.

Necaxa, one player down from the 60th minute

The Rayos del Necaxa found the 1-1 in the 33rd when Argentine Tomás Badaloni finished off a pass that Raúl Sánchez sent to him from the left corridor of the box just a few meters from the goal.

After the restart, Cambindo put the ball into the Miami net again in the 57th minute, but the play was disallowed for offside. Shortly after, in the 60th minute, Necaxa was also reduced to 10 players due to a double caution for Cristian Calderón for a foul on Uruguay's Luis Suárez.

Jordi Alba salvages the equalizer

However, in the 81st minute, the Argentine Agustín Palavecino passed the ball to Ricardo Monreal, who made it 2-1 for Necaxista with a cross in front of goalkeeper Rocco Ríos. The Mexican player celebrated in the style of Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo.

Spain's Jordi Alba salvaged a 2-2 draw for Miami with a header after De Paul's free kick from the right wing.

In the penalty shootout, De Paul, Benjamin Cremaschi, Jordi Alba, Federico Redondo and Luis Suarez were on target for Inter Miami. Suarez took the decisive penalty with power, the ball first hitting the crossbar and then stinging inside the goal.

Agustín Palavecino, Johan Rojas, Ricardo Monreal, Ezequiel Unsain were on target for Necaxa; Tomás Badaloni missed. With the two points won dramatically, Inter Miami reached five points. Necaxa added one unit and now has four.

Alba: "Messi's injury, a huge sadness for the whole team"

"After the expulsion we were disoriented for 10 or 15 minutes," Jordi Alba acknowledged for Apple TV after the dramatic victory. "Being with one player less practically the whole game made it an uphill battle, but we made a great effort the whole team."

The Spanish full-back noted that Messi's premature departure through injury was "a huge sadness for the whole team; to have the best player in the world and in history get injured is a shame, I hope it's not too much (damage) because we need him."

Javier Mascherano, Miami's technical director, spoke of the reason that led to Messi's substitution: "Leo felt a hamstring discomfort, until tomorrow we will not know the extent of the injury".