Messi’s last-second assist lifts Inter Miami over Atlas 2-1 in Leagues Cup

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Lionel Messi had two assists, including one in the final seconds of the match, to help lift Inter Miami over Atlas 2-1 in their Leagues Cup opener on Wednesday night.

It was Messi’s first game since he and teammate Jordi Alba were suspended one match by Major League Soccer for skipping its All-Star game. He connected with Marcelo Weigandt for the winning score in the final minute of stoppage time.

“It’s a competition that we always do well in,” Messi said in Spanish during a post-match interview with Apple TV. “I think we did a great job against a great team.”

Messi also assisted on Telasco Segovia’s goal that opened scoring. He received a through ball from Sergio Busquets and sent it to Segovia for an easy finish in the 58th.

Rivaldo Lozano scored the equalizer for the Guadalajara club in the 80th minute before Weigandt’s goal in the 96th that had to be confirmed by VAR after he was originally ruled offside.

That meant five assists in July for Messi, who was named the Major League Soccer Player of the Month after netting eight goals and helping Miami go 4-1-1 in league play.

Both sides had their chances during a chippy first half that saw a brief heated exchange between Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano and Atlas coach Gonzalo Pineda after an Atlas player went down.

“It’s just a soccer situation,” Pineda said through an interpreter, adding that he was upset when play continued. “I was protesting that play. I told him (Mascherano) that it was nothing against him, just a soccer play. We talked about it in the dressing room, nothing beyond that.”

Miami goalkeeper Rocco Ríos Novo had three saves in the first half, including one in which he slid over to deny Eduardo Aguirre on a header to the back post. Luis Suárez blasted a shot off the crossbar on the final play of the first half.

Argentine midfielder Rodrigo De Paul made his Inter Miami debut. De Paul, Messi’s national team buddy, officially signed with the club last week.

After Weigandt’s goal was confirmed, fireworks erupted at Chase Stadium. Messi pumped his fist in celebration as he embraced De Paul and Suárez.

Pineda said he was surprised to see Messi so happy to win the match, given how many high-stakes games the 38-year-old has played in.

“He’s won so much,” Pineda said. “He’s usually quite (even-keeled) in general.”

Mascherano said the celebrations were a response to winning a tense match.

“We play to win,” Mascherano said through an interpreter. “That’s what this beautiful sport is about. … The way that we celebrated is probably just a way to vent how we felt at the time. We won a game that we didn’t play brilliantly, and at the final second, in an epic way, we were able to win it.”

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