The match, held at Nu Stadium on a rainy Wednesday, was temporarily halted for 30 minutes due to lightning. Messi’s goals came in the 11th and 44th minutes, bringing his total to 14 goals in 12 Leagues Cup matches, placing him one ahead of Denis Bouanga from Los Angeles FC for the most in the tournament’s short history.
In addition to Messi’s contributions, teammates Telasco Segovia and defender Micael also scored, while Noah Allen provided three assists, helping Inter Miami maintain an impressive unbeaten streak of eight matches. Prior to this match, Messi had returned to the starting lineup, having only played 37 minutes as a substitute in a previous 2-2 draw against Columbus Crew, where he failed to score. The Argentine superstar quickly made an impact, equalizing just 11 minutes into the game by converting a cross from Allen after San Luis took an early lead. Messi subsequently scored again before halftime and assisted Micael’s header during stoppage time.
Rafa Llorente was the only scorer for San Luis. Additionally, the match drew attention to last year’s Leagues Cup final, where Inter Miami fell to Seattle in a 3-0 defeat marked by a brawl involving Luis Suarez. Suarez, who had been a significant contributor with seven goals in his last four matches, faced a six-match suspension due to his actions during the altercation and missed this match and the remainder of the tournament, highlighting the challenges faced by Miami as they compete for the Leagues Cup title once again.