Inter Miami picked up two of a possible three points on Saturday night with a shootout win after a 2–2 draw through 90 minutes against Liga MX’s Necaxa in both teams’ second match of the 2025 Leagues Cup.
While Miami ran into significant trouble, with Lionel Messi leaving due to injury and center back Maxi Falcón picking up a red card in the first 20 minutes, they found a way through and managed to keep themselves alive in the revised competition.
Telasco Segovia scored the opening goal for the Herons, before Tomas Badaloni and Ricardo Monreal scored for Necaxa, all prior to Jordi Alba’s tying strike in the second minute of second-half stoppage time to force penalties.
Goalkeeper tried playing mind games with Jordi Alba and it didn’t work in his favor 😂 pic.twitter.com/4UZosKKBO7
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) August 3, 2025
Miami won 5–4 in the penalty shootout, with Luis Suárez scoring the winning kick to secure two points and keep the Herons in the hunt for the top four seeds in the MLS table. Now, they look ahead to their final Phase One match against Pumas UNAM on Wednesday.
Here are Sports Illustrated's takeaways from the matchup.
Messi Leaves Early
Even as Inter Miami have improved, Messi picking up an injury early in the match is never a good sign. Yes, there’s quality throughout the roster now, but the 38-year-old’s contributions remain among the most important of any MLS player.
After starting the match with some flashes in limited touches, Messi dribbled into the Necaxa penalty area, but fell awkwardly after colliding with two defenders. He attempted to continue, but was eventually subbed out in the 11th minute and went directly to the change room.
While head coach Javier Mascherano confirmed that the club had no timeline or knowledge of the severity of the injury after the match, he said that there would be further tests on Sunday.
Should Messi be significantly injured, it would mark the first time this season that Miami would have to play a stretch without him. To this point, he has been among the team’s minute-leading players and has played over 80 minutes 24 times in 2025, so much so that co-owner Jorge Mas cited fatigue as a reason the Argentine skipped the 2025 MLS All-Star Game.
Finding a Way
When everything was going against them, Inter Miami showed the kind of resolve they have often only had when Messi is on the pitch. Throughout the year, they have staged late comebacks, notably against the Philadelphia Union earlier in the season, but Messi often plays a central role.
Without him for 79 minutes and penalties, the club leaned on its other contributors. Rodrigo De Paul stepped up, while Telasco Segovia and Jordi Alba netted goals.
Meanwhile, homegrown midfielder Benjamin Cremaschi wore the armband for the first time in the composed comeback effort, leading the team in a match that looked out of reach at points.
Although the club may be without Messi for the next while and had several obstacles to tackle against Necaxa, finding a way to victory, even just the two points, was a critical growth, and a clear adjustment in the team’s mentality since Mascherano’s tenure began.
Now, though, they will likely need a win in regulation time against Pumas UNAM to stay alive in the Leagues Cup as one of the top four MLS teams. Although the exact number of points could vary, keeping themselves within reach of eight total points was crucial against Necaxa.
De Paul Continues to Settle Quickly
De Paul has taken no time to establish himself as one of Inter Miami’s best players, putting together a standout performance in his second straight 90-minute effort after signing.
While many players may have needed more time to prepare, De Paul stepped right into Miami’s setup in midfield alongside Sergio Busquets, and has been an immediate contributor. After injury forced Messi out of the match, he pushed ahead to lead the transition, and ended the night with 10 passes into the final third, four chances created and assists on both goals.
Meanwhile, his move forward allowed Federico Redondo and Busquets to play more defensively, clogging up central options and forcing the Liga MX side to attack down the wings.
Signing De Paul was another clear statement of championship intent for Miami, and his quick start has been better than they could have ever dreamed of, especially coming in Leagues Cup as a precursor to more significant MLS games.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Inter Miami 2–2 Necaxa: Takeaways As Alba, De Paul Step Up for Missing Messi.