Inter Miami secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over Atlas in the Leagues Cup, thanks to a late goal from Marcelo Weigandt, assisted by Lionel Messi. The match, which saw Rodrigo De Paul debut for Inter Miami, was a hard-fought contest.
The first half ended in a 0-0 draw, although both teams had opportunities to score. Atlas' Eduardo Aguirre had two chances to break the deadlock, but a misfire and a save from Inter Miami goalkeeper Rocco Ríos Novo kept the game scoreless. Luis Suárez also came close, hitting the crossbar just before halftime.
Inter Miami started the second half with renewed energy. Their efforts paid off in the 57th minute when Telasco Segovia scored the opening goal, assisted by Messi. Sergio Busquets played a through ball to Messi, who then passed it to Segovia for an easy finish. Atlas, needing an equalizer to stay alive in the competition, pushed forward. In the 80th minute, Rivaldo Lozano leveled the score after a cross from Sergio Hernández.
The game seemed destined for a draw, but in the final minute of stoppage time, Suárez and Messi combined to set up Weigandt for the winning goal. Initially ruled offside, the goal was allowed after a VAR check. The final score was 2-1.
Inter Miami's victory was crucial for their Leagues Cup campaign. Despite not playing their best, they secured the win, which is all that matters at this stage. The team will now focus on their next game against Necaxa.
Individual performances also stood out. New signing Rodrigo De Paul made his debut. Messi contributed with two assists. Goalkeeper Rocco Ríos Novo made some crucial saves.
The match wasn't without its physical moments. Matheus Dória and Jorge Rodríguez of Atlas, and Federico Redondo of Inter Miami received yellow cards. There were also several substitutions made by both teams as they searched for an advantage.