In the 11th minute of Inter Miami’s Leagues Cup penalty kick victory over Mexico’s Necaxa on Saturday at Fort Lauderdale’s Chase Stadium, Lionel Messi suffered an injury and was taken off.
Before making his way out of the locker room under his power and entering the locker room, the 38-year-old Argentine superstar appeared to be receiving treatment for his upper right leg or groin.
However, Miami coach Javier Mascherano predicted it would be Sunday before the exact nature of the injury and the setback’s severity would be known following a 5-4 victory in penalties after a 2-2 draw.
After the game, Mascherano said, “Well, he felt a discomfort, and we won’t be able to determine how severe the injury is,” Mascherano said.
“There is probably something there,” the statement read. He was not in pain, so perhaps not as significant. But he did experience a pull.
Messi dribbled into the Necaxa back line before stumbling to the ground and pounding the pitch as the ball was scuffled.
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Herons captain Messi lay on his back briefly on his back until trainers arrived while he was by himself and was standing in a seated position near midfield on the left wing.
Federico Redondo was chosen to take Messi’s place after Mascherano’s decision.
After the 10-man teams played to a 2-2 draw at full time, Inter Miami prevailed 5-4 on penalties.
In the third round of the shootout, Rodrigo De Paul, Ben Cremaschi, Jordi Alba, Redondo, and Luis Suarez hit penalties for Miami, with Uruguayan striker Suarez receiving the decisive penalty kick.
Telasco Segovia of Inter Miami, a midfielder from Venezuela, scored in the 12th minute, but Herons defender Maximiliano Falcon of Uruguay received a red card in the 17th minute.
Necaxa was reduced to 10 men as a result of Cristian Calderon’s red card in the 60th minute, and Badaloni scored the equalizer in the 33rd minute to give the visitors a half-time lead.
Ricardo Monreal scored in the 81st minute after leaving the Necaxa bench, but only Alba from Spain equalized for Miami in stoppage time in the second minute.
Messi was nagged by thigh strain issues during the Argentine World Cup qualifiers in March.
In his 18 MLS appearances this year, Messi has scored 18 goals and provided nine assists.
In their opening game of the Leagues Cup, an MLS and Mexican League squad had two goals scored by him in a 2-1 victory over Atlas on Wednesday.
On Wednesday when Miami plays Pumas, the group stage will be over.
Source: Channels TV
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