Messi's Heroics Propel Inter Miami to Leagues Cup Final

Fort Lauderdale, Aug 28 (AP) Lionel Messi made a triumphant return to the pitch, scoring twice to lead Inter Miami to a 3-1 victory over Orlando City, advancing the team to the Leagues Cup Final. Inter Miami will now travel to face the winner between LA Galaxy and Seattle in the final on Sunday. Messi's appearance marked his second game back in two weeks after experiencing a setback during his recovery from a hamstring injury. Marco Pašalic put Orlando ahead just before halftime, with his goal standing after a VAR review examined a potential handball. Messi leveled the score in the 77th minute by converting a penalty following Tadeo Allende's foul in the box. The magic continued in the 88th minute when Messi linked up with Jordi Alba for a decisive goal, putting Miami in the lead. To seal the victory, Telasco Segovia set up a play with Luis Suarez, emulating the style of Messi's second goal, and scored the final one. Assistant coach Javier Morales expressed the team's excitement about the opportunity to win a trophy. Head coach Javier Mascherano observed the match from the stands, serving a red card suspension during the semifinal. The match, characterized by its intensity, saw nine yellow cards in total and a red card for Orlando City's David Brekalo. Orlando City coach Óscar Pareja commented on the red card decision, expressing disbelief over Brekalo's initial yellow card for an alleged foul on Rodrigo De Paul. Miami is aiming to replicate their success from the 2022 tournament as they move forward. (AP) APA APA

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