Messi’s Inter Miami to face Cruz Azul in the Campeones Cup in the US
In Florida, United States, Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami will host Mexico’s Cruz Azul on Wednesday in a Campeones Cup match. The reigning MLS and Liga MX champions will meet in the game. For Messi, it will be an opportunity to win his first trophy of the season and score his 100th goal for the club.
A chance for a trophy
As The National reports, the Campeones Cup is held as a single-match format between the champions of MLS and Mexico’s Liga MX. This match is not recognized by FIFA or Concacaf as a major trophy, but a victory will be important for both clubs.
Inter Miami failed to advance from the Leagues Cup group stage and was eliminated from the Concacaf Champions Cup in the round of 16, losing to Nashville. In their most recent MLS match, the team drew 2-2 with Nashville. Messi scored his 99th goal in 114 matches for Inter Miami, but Sam Surridge equalized in stoppage time.
The Argentine leads the MLS scoring chart with 19 goals in 22 matches. Inter Miami have drawn their last three matches and have only one win in nine games — a 7-1 victory over Montreal, when Messi scored four goals.
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Cruz Azul’s form
Cruz Azul approach the match after a 4-3 victory over Club América in the Clásico Joven derby. Joel Huiqui’s team led 3-0 at halftime and 4-1 until the final minute, but the opponents scored two late goals. The victory was the club’s third in a row in the Mexican championship.
The Mexican club are fourth in Liga MX, two points behind leaders Guadalajara. In May, Cruz Azul won their 10th Mexican championship title, beating Pumas UNAM 2-1 on aggregate. In July, the team won the Campeón de Campeones Mexican Super Cup, defeating Toluca 3-1.
In the match against Club América, Cruz Azul captain Erik Lira scored a goal and provided an assist for Gabriel Fernández. The 26-year-old midfielder’s move to France’s Monaco on the final day of the transfer window did not go through, so he remains a player for the Mexican team.
