Inter Miami discover themselves on skinny ice following a 2-1 loss to CF Monterrey within the 2026 Leagues Cup group stage. With star captain Lionel Messi absent and just one match remaining on the schedule, the Herons are teetering getting ready to an early exit from the worldwide match.
The Herons initially kicked off their marketing campaign on the precise foot with a 4-2 victory over Atletico San Luis. Nevertheless, forward of their Matchday 2 conflict towards Rayados, Messi obtained the heartbreaking information of his father’s passing and was granted compassionate depart to fly to Argentina. The loss deeply affected the squad, which held a second of silence previous to Saturday’s kickoff.
With Messi in South America and Luis Suarez, German Berterame, Mateo Silvetti, and Tadeo Allende all sidelined, Miami’s attacking depth was severely depleted. Younger prospect Daniel Pinter shared frontline duties with Lovens Delinois, the Haitian ahead referred to as up from Inter Miami II to make his senior debut.
Rodrigo De Paul put the Herons forward with a superb long-range strike within the thirty second minute, eradicating his match shirt to disclose Messi’s jersey beneath in a poignant tribute to his shut pal and teammate. Nevertheless, Hugo Cuypers netted the equalizer within the forty seventh minute, and Diego Rossi delivered a crushing blow with the game-winner within the ninetieth minute, leaving Inter Miami empty-handed at Nu Stadium.
Rodrigo De Paul of Inter Miami CF dedicates his objective to Lionel Messi. (Leonardo Fernandez/Getty Photos)
Now, just one group stage match stays, set for Wednesday, August 12, at Nu Stadium towards a formidable Membership Leon aspect that received each of its opening fixtures towards Nashville SC (1-0) and Orlando Metropolis (2-1). Going through a must-win scenario with a depleted frontline, Inter Miami danger lacking the knockout part for the primary time since Messi’s landmark arrival in South Florida.
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Inter Miami pay tribute to Lionel Messi’s father: ‘Our hearts are with our captain’
What do Inter Miami have to keep away from early elimination?
Beneath the expanded Leagues Cup format launched for the 2025 match, solely the highest 4 golf equipment from the MLS desk and high 4 from Liga MX advance to the quarterfinals. Cross-league matchups are decided by desk standing, however to safe a type of coveted qualification spots, Inter Miami now not management their very own future.
Inter Miami at the moment occupy eleventh place within the MLS Leagues Cup standings with three factors, 5 objectives scored, and 4 conceded, trailing ten golf equipment within the desk. The highest six sides, Charlotte FC, Austin FC, FC Cincinnati, Chicago Fireplace, Columbus Crew, and FC Dallas, have swept their first two matches with a objective differential of at the least +2 (+5 for leaders Charlotte and Austin), which means Miami wants a number of high groups to lose badly whereas the Herons safe a blowout win over Leon.
Seventh-place LAFC sit on 5 factors with a +1 objective differential, which means Miami wants the Black and Gold to drop factors or lose a possible penalty shootout following a draw. In the meantime, Actual Salt Lake occupy eighth with 4 factors, whereas Portland Timbers (ninth) and Nashville SC (tenth) stay tied with Miami on three factors, making the Herons’ path to qualification mathematically doable, however statistically unbelievable.
