Inter Miami fall late as Messi sits out following father’s death

Inter Miami suffered a heartbreaking 2-1 defeat to Monterrey in the Leagues Cup on Saturday (August 8), surrendering the game to a stoppage-time goal after taking an early lead without Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez.

Messi missed the match after returning to Argentina following the death of his father, Jorge Messi, who died aged 68 after a prolonged illness.

Before kickoff, players, coaches and supporters observed a minute of silence in his memory.

With Messi absent, Rodrigo De Paul appeared to give Miami the perfect response to an emotionally difficult night. The Argentine midfielder opened the scoring in the 32nd minute with a superb right-footed strike from outside the box, sending the ball into the bottom corner.

De Paul then revealed a Messi shirt underneath his own jersey during his celebration, a poignant gesture of support for his Argentina teammate and friend. The celebration earned him a yellow card.

Monterrey responded immediately after halftime. Hugo Cuypers levelled in the 47th minute after goalkeeper Rocco Ríos Novo made an initial save, with Cuypers reacting quickest to the rebound.

The visitors continued to press for a winner as Miami struggled to regain control. The match appeared destined for a 1-1 finish, but Monterrey struck in the final moments of stoppage time.

Diego Rossi found space inside the box and calmly finished to complete Monterrey’s comeback, leaving Miami with no time to respond. The 2-1 defeat ended Inter Miami’s unbeaten run that had stretched back to May 2.

Suárez was also unavailable because of a six-match suspension stemming from an incident in last season’s Leagues Cup final.

For Miami, the night was defined by a difficult balance between football and grief. De Paul’s goal and his emotional tribute to Messi briefly offered a moment of solidarity, but Monterrey’s late winner turned an already poignant occasion into a painful defeat.

Inter Miami will next face León on Wednesday in their final group-stage match of the Leagues Cup.