Messi brace puts Miami into Leagues Cup final

Fort Lauderdale, Aug. 29: Lionel Messi scored twice late on as Inter Miami fought back to beat Orlando City 3-1 and reach the final of the Leagues Cup on Wednesday.

After missing two straight matches with a right thigh injury, Messi converted a penalty in the 77th minute to pull Inter level at 1-1 then combined with Jordi Alba to put the hosts ahead in the 88th.

Telasco Segovia added a third in injury time as Miami returned to the final of the Leagues Cup, the cross-border competition featuring teams from Major League Soccer and Mexico's Liga-MX.

Inter won it in 2023, Messi's first season in MLS. They will face reigning MLS Cup champions Los Angeles Galaxy or Seattle Sounders in Sunday's final.

Orlando will play in a third-place game, and the top three finishers in the tournament earn berths in the 2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup.

In a high-energy first half, Croatia's Marco Pasalic silenced the crowd at Miami's Chase Stadium with a goal in first-half added time.

Luis Muriel slipped a pass into the area and Maximiliano Falcon's attempt to clear it instead saw the ball deflect back to Pasalic, who rifled a left-footed shot into the net.

Inter players appealed saying the ball hit Pasalic's arm but VAR confirmed the goal. Orlando, who had twice humbled their cross-state rivals this season, continued to stymie Inter in the second half. 

Luis Suarez forced a save from Orlando keeper Pedro Gallese while Messi twice threatened in the area only to find himself swamped in a sea of defenders.

Inter coach Javier Mascherano was visibly frustrated as he watched from the stands, having received a red card during the quarter-final win over Tigres UANL.

Orlando lost some momentum in the 59th minute when Guatemalan referee Walter Lopez denied them a penalty shout after Sergio Busquets' foul on Ivan Angulo. And the momentum shifted irrevocably Miami's way in the 74th minute when substitute Tadeo Allende drew a foul in the box.

David Brekalo's challenge included a tug on Allende's jersey and earned him a second yellow card.

He departed as Messi went to the spot, the Argentine great firing past Gallese into the lower right corner of the net. Eight-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi sparked joyous celebrations with his second goal 11 minutes later.

Kane rescues Bayern

Harry Kane scored a last-gasp winner to spare Bayern Munich's blushes in a dramatic 3-2 victory at third-tier Wehen Wiesbaden in the German Cup first round on Wednesday.

Bayern were two goals up and cruising not long after half-time thanks to a Kane penalty, his 31st successful spot-kick in a row for club and country, and Michael Olise's goal.

But Wiesbaden captain Fatih Kaya scored twice in five minutes to drag his side back into the match.

Kane was felled in the box but had his 76th-minute spot-kick saved, his first missed penalty since blasting over the bar for England against France in the 2022 World Cup quarter-finals.

He redeemed himself however, heading in a Josip Stanisic cross in the fourth and final minute of stoppage time to help Bayern avoid embarrassment.

Bayern have not progressed past the German Cup quarter-finals since winning a record-extending 20th title in the 2019-20 competition.

Bayern took the lead on 16 minutes, Kane converting from the spot after Sacha Boey was fouled.

The Bundesliga champions did not add a second until the 51st minute, when the impressive Olise took advantage of a defensive error to sweep the ball into the bottom corner.

Bayern looked on course for a routine win until Wiesbaden summer signing Niklas May curled in an excellent cross for Kaya to cut the deficit in the 64th minute with a sliding volley.

The goal inspired the hosts, who grabbed an equaliser when a long ball forward was flicked on by Moritz Flotho, sending Kaya clean through on goal to score again.

Kane stepped up for another penalty but was denied by a brilliant save by home goalkeeper Florian Stritzel, who did equally well to keep out the England captain's follow-up effort before the ball was scrambled clear.

Kane had the last laugh, though, leaping high to nod in and break Wiesbaden's hearts. (AFP)