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Messi's last-second assist helps Inter Miami edge Atlas 2-1 in Leagues Cup
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 Ros 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 Surez 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 Surez.
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.
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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New Indian Express
an hour ago
- New Indian Express
Messi set for India tour in December; Kolkata to host opening leg with statue unveiling, GOAT Cup
KOLKATA: If all the pieces fall in place, football devotees in Kolkata will have the first sighting of iconic Lionel Messi after a decade. The City of Joy will be the first stop in the Argentine's whirlwind journey across Ahmedabad, Mumbai and New Delhi, culminating in a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Sources privy to the development informed PTI that all arrangements have been finalised, including booking the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. However, an official confirmation from Messi is still awaited. 'It's been finalised and we are waiting for an official announcement from Messi, maybe on his social media handle anytime soon,' said the source. 'As of now we have agreed on the proposed itinerary and we are just awaiting an official announcement from his social media, which would be in anytime soon,' the source added. Kolkata leg: 70-ft statue, GOAT Cup with Ganguly As per the itinerary, Messi will land in Kolkata on the night of December 12 around 10 pm and will stay for two days and one night — the longest stop on his tour. The Argentina captain's Kolkata schedule on December 13 will begin at 9 am with a meet-and-greet event, followed by the unveiling of a 70-feet statue of him at Lake Town Sribhumi on VIP Road. Organisers claim this will be the first-ever and tallest statue of the World Cup winner anywhere in the world. He will then head to Eden Gardens, where the GOAT Concert and GOAT Cup will be held from 12 noon to 1:30 pm. 'I don't want to mislead people. So basically, it will be a celebration of Messi — a masterclass with Messi,' said the source. 'He will play the GOAT Cup in a seven-a-side soft-ball, soft-touch game with Sourav Ganguly, Leander Paes, John Abraham, Bhaichung Bhutia among others. It will be a celebration play in respect of Messi,' the source explained. He hoped for a sellout crowd as it will be a fully ticketed event. 'This will be at Eden. It will be a ticketing event. Denominations are yet to be decided. It would be a little expensive — should not be less than Rs 3,500. Entire stadium will be open, so we can expect a full capacity of 68,000. For 1 hour 20 minutes Messi will be there with musical tribute, masterclass with kids,' he added. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is expected to felicitate Messi during the Eden Gardens programme.
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Business Standard
2 hours ago
- Business Standard
Messi's India Tour: Kolkata to kick off, Delhi & Mumbai await the icon
If all the pieces fall in place, football devotees in Kolkata will have the first sighting of iconic Lionel Messi after a decade, and the City of Joy will be the first stop in the Argentine's whirlwind journey across Ahmedabad, Mumbai and New Delhi, culminating in a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The sources privy to the development informed PTI that all arrangements have been finalised including booking the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, but an official confirmation from Messi is still awaited. "It's been finalised and we are waiting for an official announcement from Messi, maybe on his social media handle anytime soon," said the source. "As of now we have agreed on the proposed itinerary and we are just awaiting an official announcement from his social media, which would be in anytime soon, the source added. As per the itinerary, Messi will land in Kolkata on the night of December 12 around 10pm and will stay for two days and one night -- the longest stop on his tour. Kolkata Leg: 70-ft statue, GOAT Cup with Ganguly The Argentina captain's Kolkata schedule on December 13 will begin at 9am with a meet-and-greet event, followed by the unveiling of a 70-feet statue of him at the Lake Town Sribhumi on VIP Road. Organisers claim this will be the first-ever and tallest statue of the World Cup winner anywhere in the world. He will then head to Eden Gardens, where the GOAT Concert and GOAT Cup will be held from 12 noon to 1.30pm. "I don't want to mislead people. So basically, it will be a celebration of Messi, a master class with Messi. "He will play the GOAT Cup in a seven-side soft-ball, soft-touch game with Sourav Ganguly, Leander Paes, John Abraham, Bhaichung Bhutia among others. It will be a celebration play in respect of Messi, the source explained. He hoped for a sellout crowd as it will be a fully ticketed event. This will be at Eden. It will be a ticketing event. Denominations are yet to be decided. It would be a little expensive -- should not be less than Rs 3,500. "Entire stadium will be open, so, we can expect a full capacity of 68,000. For 1 hour 20 minutes Messi will be there with musical tribute, masterclass with kids," he added. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is expected to felicitate Messi during the Eden Gardens programme. Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Delhi legs On the evening of December 13, Messi is slated to travel to Ahmedabad to attend a private event hosted by the Adani Foundation at their Shantigram headquarters. He will then reach Mumbai for events on December 14, including a meet-and-greet at CCI at 3.45pm, followed by the GOAT Concert and GOAT Cup at the Wankhede Stadium at 5.30pm. We've booked the Wankhede Stadium for the GOAT Cup at 5.45pm on December 14, the source said. There were media reports suggesting that Messi could participate in a seven-a-side cricket match with MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli, but the source denied this. He is not going to play any cricket match in Mumbai. It will be only soft ball and soft touch with him. It will be a celebration of his journey with the presence of Indian celebrities. Plans are also in place for Messi to interact with the Indian football team in Mumbai. "At Mumbai, we have planned an interaction with the Indian football team. Obviously, Sunil Chhetri and the Indian team moment that we have planned in Mumbai as per their respective availabilities, the source said. Meeting with PM, Kotla celebration On December 15, Messi will be in New Delhi, where he is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, followed by a GOAT Concert and GOAT Cup at Feroz Shah Kotla at 2.15pm. At each city, Messi will be conducting a masterclass with children, aimed at inspiring the next generation of Indian footballers. "Messi will be imparting masterclass with kids at every centre. The main idea is to celebrate Messi's success, giving little bit, for instance 30 to 40 minutes to motivate the young generation of players. So, masterclass and interaction with Messi. No Kerala stop The source also dispelled rumours of a Kerala leg during Messi's visit. However, there will be no event in Kerala as earlier reported, the source said. Messi is also expected to travel with a large entourage including footballers, though details remain under wraps. Flashback 2011 In wee hours of August 31, 2011, Messi made his first appearance in India, landing in Kolkata as hysteric fans gathered at the airport to welcome him. He was here with his team to play an exhibition match against Venezuela at the Salt Lake Stadium a match they won 1-0. Messi's arrival sparked Messi fever in Kolkata, with thousands of fans lining the streets, donning Messi jerseys, and packing the 75,000-capacity stadium. MESSI MANIA 2.0 Proposed Itinerary: December 12: Arrival in Kolkata (10pm). December 13 (Kolkata): 9am -- Meet and greet event; Statue unveiling (70-feet) at Lake Town Sribhumi, VIP Road; 12 noon to 1.30pm -- GOAT Concert at Eden Gardens followed by GOAT Cup; December 13 (Evening): Adani Foundation private event at Shantigram, Ahmedabad. December 14 (Mumbai): Meet and greet at CCI (3.45pm); GOAT Concert at Wankhede Stadium (5.30pm). December 15 (New Delhi): Meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi; GOAT Concert at Feroz Shah Kotla (2.15pm).


News18
2 hours ago
- News18
Lionel Messi Expected To Visit Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Delhi On India Tour: Report
The eight time Ballon d'Or winner is expected to travel to multiple cities in the peninsular nation if everything goes as per plans, a source revealed. The mere indication of Lionel Messi's visit to India has thrilled football enthusiasts in the nation. The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner is expected to visit multiple cities, including Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, and New Delhi. A long list of dignitaries, including the Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, are anticipated to meet the World Cup winner during his time in the peninsular nation, if all goes as planned. 'It's been finalised, and we are waiting for an official announcement from Messi, maybe on his social media handle anytime soon," a source said. 'As of now, we have agreed on the proposed itinerary and are just awaiting an official announcement from his social media, which could be anytime soon," the source continued. Messi is expected to land in Kolkata on the night of December 12 around 10 pm and will stay in the City of Joy for a couple of days. The Argentina skipper's Kolkata schedule on December 13 will start at 9 am with a meet-and-greet event, followed by the unveiling of a 70-foot statue of him at the Lake Town Sribhumi on VIP Road. Organisers claim this will be the first-ever and tallest statue of the World Cup winner anywhere in the world. He will then head to Eden Gardens, where the GOAT Concert and Cup will be held from noon to 1.30 pm. A sellout crowd is expected as it will be a fully ticketed event. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is expected to honour Messi during the Eden Gardens programme, while former Indian cricket team skipper Sourav Ganguly is also expected to attend the event. 'I don't want to mislead people. So basically, it will be a celebration of Messi, a master class with Messi." 'He will play the GOAT Cup in a seven-side soft-ball, soft-touch game with Sourav Ganguly, Leander Paes, John Abraham, Bhaichung Bhutia, among others. It will be a celebration play in respect of Messi," the source added. 'This will be at Eden Gardens. It will be a ticketed event. Denominations are yet to be decided. It would be a little expensive — should not be less than Rs 3,500." 'The entire stadium will be open, so we can expect a full capacity of 68,000. For 1 hour 20 minutes Messi will be there with musical tribute, masterclass with kids," the source added. On the evening of December 13, Messi is expected to travel to Ahmedabad to attend a private event hosted by the Adani Foundation at their Shantigram headquarters. The magician from Rosario will travel to Mumbai for events on December 14, including a meet-and-greet at CCI at 3.45 pm, followed by the GOAT Concert and Cup at the Wankhede Stadium. Messi is also set to interact with the Indian football team in Mumbai. 'We've booked the Wankhede Stadium for the GOAT Cup at 5.45 pm on December 14," the source said. Media reports suggesting Messi could participate in a seven-a-side cricket match with MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli circulated a day earlier, but there is still no clarity over the same. 'He is not going to play any cricket match in Mumbai. It will be only soft ball and soft touch with him. It will be a celebration of his journey with the presence of Indian celebrities." 'In Mumbai, we have planned an interaction with the Indian football team. Obviously, Sunil Chhetri and the Indian team moment that we have planned in Mumbai, as per their respective availabilities," the source said. Messi is slated to travel to New Delhi on December 15, where he is scheduled to meet the national Premier, followed by a GOAT Concert and Cup at Feroz Shah Kotla. Messi is also set to engage with budding players and kids in every city he visits. 'Messi will impart a masterclass with kids at every centre. The main idea is to celebrate Messi's success, giving a little bit, for instance, 30 to 40 minutes to motivate the young generation of players. So, masterclass and interaction with Messi." However, the source dispelled talks of a Kerala leg during Messi's visit and added that the former Barcelona superstar is also expected to travel with a large entourage including footballers, though details remain under wraps. 'However, there will be no event in Kerala as earlier reported," the source said. Messi made his first appearance in India on August 31, 2011, landing in Kolkata as fans gathered at the airport to welcome him. He was here with his team to play an exhibition match against Venezuela at the Salt Lake Stadium, a match they won 1-0. Messi's arrival sparked 'Messi fever" in Kolkata, with thousands of fans lining the streets, donning Messi jerseys, and packing the 75,000-capacity stadium. Tentative Itinerary: December 12: Arrival in Kolkata (10pm). December 13 (Kolkata): 9am — Meet and greet event; Statue unveiling (70-feet) at Lake Town Sribhumi, VIP Road; 12 noon to 1.30pm — GOAT Concert at Eden Gardens followed by GOAT Cup; December 13 (Evening): Adani Foundation private event at Shantigram, Ahmedabad. December 14 (Mumbai): Meet and greet at CCI (3.45pm); GOAT Concert at Wankhede Stadium (5.30pm). December 15 (New Delhi): Meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi; GOAT Concert at Feroz Shah Kotla (2.15pm). (With Inputs From PTI) News18 Sports brings you the latest updates, live commentary, and highlights from cricket, football, tennis, badmintion, wwe and more. Catch breaking news, live scores, and in-depth coverage. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : Ahmedabad India Kolkata lionel messi mumbai New Delhi view comments Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: August 02, 2025, 16:21 IST News sports » football Lionel Messi Expected To Visit Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Delhi On India Tour: Report Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.