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Lionel Messi scored twice late on as Inter Miami fought back to beat Orlando City 3-1 and reach the final of the Leagues Cup on Wednesday. After missing two straight matches with a right thigh injury, Messi converted a penalty in the 77th minute to pull Inter level at 1-1 then combined with Jordi Alba to put the hosts ahead in the 88th.
Telasco Segovia added a third in injury time as Miami returned to the final of the Leagues Cup, the cross-border competition featuring teams from Major League Soccer and Mexico`s Liga-MX. Inter won it in 2023, Messi`s first season in MLS. They will face reigning MLS Cup champions Los Angeles Galaxy or Seattle Sounders in Sunday`s final.
Orlando will play in a third-place game, and the top three finishers in the tournament earn berths in the 2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup. In a high-energy first half, Croatia`s Marco Pasalic silenced the crowd at Miami`s Chase Stadium with a goal in first-half added time. Luis Muriel slipped a pass into the area and Maximiliano Falcon`s attempt to clear it instead saw the ball deflect back to Pasalic, who rifled a left-footed shot into the net.
Inter players appealed saying the ball hit Pasalic`s arm but VAR confirmed the goal. Orlando, who had twice humbled their cross-state rivals this season, continued to stymie Inter in the second half. Luis Suarez forced a save from Orlando keeper Pedro Gallese while Messi twice threatened in the area only to find himself swamped in a sea of defenders.
Inter coach Javier Mascherano was visibly frustrated as he watched from the stands, having received a red card during the quarter-final win over Tigres UANL. Orlando lost some momentum in the 59th minute when Guatemalan referee Walter Lopez denied them a penalty shout after Sergio Busquets` foul on Ivan Angulo. And the momentum shifted irrevocably Miami`s way in the 74th minute when substitute Tadeo Allende drew a foul in the box.
David Brekalo`s challenge included a tug on Allende`s jersey and earned him a second yellow card. He departed as Messi went to the spot, the Argentine great firing past Gallese into the lower right corner of the net. Eight-time Ballon d`Or winner Messi sparked joyous celebrations with his second goal 11 minutes later. Orlando had won two prior matches against Miami this season by a combined 7-1 margin, including a 4-1 rout earlier this month.
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