Inter Miami Triumphs 2-0 Over Puebla in Leagues Cup Opener
Inter Miami Triumphs Without Messi
Defending champions Inter Miami CF kicked off their Leagues Cup title defense with a 2-0 victory over Mexico’s Puebla at home on Saturday. The team managed to secure the win despite the absence of their star player, Lionel Messi, who is recovering from an ankle injury.
Early Lead and Final Goal
Paraguay’s Matias Rojas opened the scoring for Inter Miami in the ninth minute. The team maintained their lead and extended it in the 72nd minute with an insurance goal from Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez. The win is a strong start for Miami as they look to defend their title from last year.
Messi’s Absence
Lionel Messi, who has been sidelined with a left ankle injury sustained during Argentina’s Copa America final victory over Colombia, missed this match. Messi’s injury also kept him out of two MLS regular-season games and the MLS All-Star Game. His absence was felt, but Miami managed to secure a solid win.
Leagues Cup Format
The Leagues Cup features a World Cup-style format with MLS and Liga MX teams. The tournament is divided into groups, with two teams from each group advancing to the knockout stages. Inter Miami will face Mexican side Tigres in their next group-stage match on Saturday.
Other Group Stage Results
In other group-stage matches on Saturday, several teams secured wins:
- Atlas defeated Houston 1-0, with Mexican defender Jose Lozano scoring the decisive goal in the 83rd minute.
- New England edged out Mazatlan 1-0, thanks to a 69th-minute goal by US midfielder Jack Panayotou.
- Philadelphia narrowly won 1-0 against Charlotte, with Israeli striker Tai Baribo scoring in the 33rd minute.
- Toronto won 5-4 on penalties against the New York Red Bulls after a goalless draw.
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