Miami, Aug 9 (IANS) Inter Miami CF fell 1-2 against CF Monterrey in their second Leagues Cup 2026 Phase One matchup. Midfielder Rodrigo De Paul scored the team’s goal at Nu Stadium.
Inter Miami came close to opening the scoring with a triple opportunity in the 14th minute. First, an effort from Delinois from the left end of the box was saved by Monterrey’s goalkeeper, before a left-footed hit from Allen and Delinois’ second attempt were blocked by the opposition’s backline.
Inter Miami broke the deadlock in the 32nd minute, with De Paul receiving a pass from Casemiro in the final third before unleashing a right-footed hit from long range to the bottom-left corner.
Goalkeeper Ríos Novo had a notable intervention at the other end in the first minute of stoppage time to preserve Inter Miami’s lead entering the half, with a save to deny a shot from Orbelín Pineda from the center of the box.
Monterrey turned the scoring around with two second-half goals, with Hugo Cuypers scoring in the 47th minute and Diego Rossi in the 90th minute.
With the loss, Miami face an uphill climb to reach the knockout stage, despite a convincing 4-2 midweek win over Atlético San Luis in their tournament opener. Only the fop four teams per league table advance to the quarterfinals.
The Herons will host Club Leon on Wednesday in their Phase One finale.
Lionel Messi’s status for the match is unknown. He is reportedly home in Argentina with his family.
Leagues Cup 2026 will award three qualification spots to the 2027 Concacaf Champions Cup. The champion, runner-up, and third-place finisher will qualify, with the tournament champion earning a direct place in the Round of 16.
The Concacaf Champions Cup serves as the pathway to FIFA international club competitions, providing clubs the opportunity to represent Concacaf on the global stage.
–IANS
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