Category: Soccer

ORLANDO — Luis Muriel scored a goal in each half and Martín Ojeda had a goal and an assist to lead Orlando City to a 4-1 victory over Inter Miami on Sunday night. Muriel scored in the 2nd minute to give Orlando City (9-6-8) a lead that lasted just three minutes after Yannick Bright scored unassisted for his first career goal in his 40th appearance to pull Inter Miami (12-5-6) even. Ojeda collected his 13th assist on Muriel’s goal, extending his club-record streak with a goal contribution to 14. Orlando City took a 2-1 lead five minutes into the second half on Muriel’s unassisted eighth goal...

FORT LAUDERDALE — Luis Suárez scored and had two assists, and Inter Miami beat Pumas 3-1 on Wednesday night to advance in the Leagues Cup. Miami played the match without Lionel Messi, who is sidelined indefinitely with what the team described as a minor muscle injury in his right leg. Messi was hurt in the opening minutes of Inter Miami’s win over Necaxa on Saturday. He was in attendance for Wednesday’s match and watched from a suite at Chase Stadium. Miami, which has eight points in the Major League Soccer Leagues Cup standings, is the first MLS club through to the tournament’s knockout...

FORT LAUDERDALE — Lionel Messi exited Inter Miami’s Leagues Cup match against Necaxa on Saturday night after suffering an apparent hamstring injury in the opening minutes. Messi was running toward the penalty area between two defenders when he appeared to get tripped in the eighth minute. He fell to the ground and slammed his fist in frustration before walking toward midfield as play continued. He then sat on the pitch near Inter Miami’s bench as trainers came and worked on his right upper thigh area for a couple of minutes. He was subbed out in the 11th for Federico Redondo and immediately...

By ALANIS THAMES 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 back 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. Messi also assisted on Telasco Segovia’s goal that opened scoring in the 58th. Rivaldo Lozano scored the equalizer for the Guadalajara club in the 82nd before Weigandt’s goal...

FORT LAUDERDALE — Inter Miami played FC Cincinnati to a 0-0 draw without the suspended Lionel Messi on Saturday night. Messi was not available after he and teammate Jordi Alba were suspended one match by Major League Soccer for skipping the All-Star game. Messi was still in attendance on Saturday, watching from a suite at Chase Stadium. Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas called the punishment “draconian” on Friday, saying that Messi was “extremely upset” at the suspension that sidelined him for an important match as Miami pushes for its second-straight MLS Supporters’ Shield. Miami and...

HARRISON, N.J. — Lionel Messi had two goals and two assists, Telasco Segovia also scored twice, and Inter Miami beat the New York Red Bulls 5-1 on Saturday night. It was Messi’s sixth multi-goal game in his last seven matches. Messi became the fifth player in MLS history to record at least 35 goals and 25 assists over a two-year span, joining Robbie Keane (2013-14), Sebastian Giovinco (2015-16), Carlos Vela (2018-19), and Cucho Hernández (2023-24). Miami scored two goals in three minutes midway through the first half to take the lead. Messi’s beautiful pass to Jordi Alba tied it at 1-all in...

By JEFF WALLNER CINCINNATI (AP) — Lionel Messi’s MLS-record streak of scoring multiple goals in five straight matches ended on Wednesday night in Inter Miami’s 3-0 loss to FC Cincinnati. Cincinnati got a first-half goal from Gerardo Valenzuela and two second-half strikes from Evander to remain one point behind the Philadelphia Union in the Eastern Conference standings. Philadelphia beat CF Montreal 2-1 on Wednesday night. The loss ended a five-match winning streak for Inter Miami (11-4-5) which is fifth in the Eastern Conference standings. Messi is the first player in MLS history to have a...

By ALANIS THAMES FORT LAUDERDALE — Another close friend of Lionel Messi will soon play in South Florida. Argentine midfielder Rodrigo De Paul has agreed to contract terms with Inter Miami, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Wednesday. The 31-year-old De Paul will leave Atlético Madrid — where he’s played since 2021 — for Major League Soccer on a short-term contract with Inter Miami that could potentially lead to a multiyear deal. He had one year left on his contract at Atlético Madrid. ESPN first reported the deal. De Paul and national team buddy Messi hope...

By ALANIS THAMES FORT LAUDERDALE — Lionel Messi extended his historic streak to five straight multi-goal games, and Inter Miami snapped Nashville SC’s 15-match unbeaten streak with a 2-1 win on Saturday night. Miami (11-3-5) won its fifth straight match and moved to fifth in the Supporter’s Shield standings as it aims to win the title for the second-straight season. Messi entered Saturday’s match as the only player in Major League Soccer history with four straight multi-goal games after scoring two in Miami’s win over the New England Revolution on Wednesday. And he wasn’t done. The...

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Lionel Messi became the first player in Major League Soccer history with four consecutive multi-goal games, scoring twice to lead Inter Miami past the New England Revolution 2-1 on Wednesday night. Miami (10-3-5) has won four straight and is unbeaten in its last five. Defender Tanner Beason misplayed a header and Messi capitalized, scoring on a half-volley to open the scoring in the 27th minute. Messi made it 2-0 in the 38th. Sergio Busquets played a ball ahead from just beyond midfield to a charging Messi, who scored on a first-touch shot from the edge of the...