Messi scores his first goals since World Cup as Inter Miami beat San Luis

What the report says

Lionel Messi scored twice for Inter Miami in a 4-2 win over Atletico de San Luis in a Leagues Cup match on Wednesday night, according to Al Jazeera’s reporting based on The Associated Press. The game was played at Nu Stadium and was briefly delayed in the second half because of lightning in the area.

Messi’s goals came in the 11th and 44th minutes, after San Luis had taken an early lead through David Rodriguez. Al Jazeera reported that Telasco Segovia and defender Micael also scored for Miami, while Rafa Llorente added one for San Luis. Noah Allen set up three goals, and Miami extended its unbeaten run to eight matches.

The report said Messi returned to Miami’s starting lineup in what was his second match since the World Cup, where Argentina reached the final before losing to Spain. The 39-year-old now has 14 goals in 12 Leagues Cup appearances, which the article said puts him one ahead of Denis Bouanga for the tournament’s all-time scoring lead.

The result also helped Miami continue its strong recent record in the competition after winning the Leagues Cup in 2023 and reaching the final again last year. The article noted that Luis Suarez was unavailable because of a suspension tied to last year’s tournament, providing further context for Miami’s lineup.