Leagues Cup roundup: Lionel Messi injured as Inter Miami top Necaxa

Messi limps off early, but Inter Miami edge Necaxa in shoot-out thriller

Inter Miami’s night swung from panic to relief in Fort Lauderdale: Lionel Messi exited after just 11 minutes with what looked like a hamstring tweak, yet the Herons eventually banked an extra-point shoot-out win after a breathless 2-2 draw. Telasco Segovia struck seconds after the injury to steady Miami, though Necaxa turned the tide behind in-form striker Tomás Badaloni, whose third goal of the competition and a 17th-minute red card to Miami’s Maxi Falcón left the hosts down a man for nearly an hour. When Cristian Calderón’s dismissal leveled the numbers, chaos reigned—Ricardo Monreal and Jordi Alba traded late goals before the penalties. Keeper Rocco Ríos Novo’s save on Badaloni set up Luis Suárez to smash the decisive kick off the bar and in, sealing a 5-4 shoot-out triumph and five total group points for Miami. For bettors eyeing live markets, the match was a case study in how red cards and star injuries can flip in-game totals, a core concept from Soccer Betting 101.

Orlando City stay alive with 3-1 victory, knock Atlas out

Needing a response after dropping a shoot-out to Pumas, Orlando City delivered, riding goals from Iván Ángulo and Martín Ojeda plus a stoppage-time clincher by Marco Pašalić to a 3-1 win that eliminates Atlas. Ángulo’s seventh-minute strike set the tone, Atlas equalized through Matías Cóccaro early in the second half, but Ojeda’s clever left-footed finish at 57’ restored control. Cóccaro’s late red card—part of a skirmish that saw multiple bookings—paved the way for Pašalić to cap things at 90+12, sending Exploria Stadium into celebration and pushing the Lions to four points in the group. The high-energy encounter underscored why Leagues Cup group finales often present value on both-teams-to-score props—angles broken down in Premier League wagering tips that translate neatly to MLS-Liga MX showdowns.