Lionel Messi continued his dream start to life at Inter Miami as he scored twice in a 3-1 win over Orlando City in the Leagues Cup on Wednesday.
Inter Miami had gone 11 games without a win prior to Messi’s arrival. But they have now won their last three matches in a row to earn a place in the last 16 of the tournament.
Messi, 36, has been integral to their improvement, scoring five goals in his first three appearances.
So, when does their promising Leagues Cup campaign continue? Here’s everything you need to know.
GO DEEPER
Messi scores 2 for Miami again, inspires team to win over Orlando
When are Messi and Inter Miami next in action?
Inter Miami will next take on FC Dallas at the Toyota Stadium on Sunday, August 6.
The kick-off time has not yet been announced. This article will be updated when it is.
A la siguiente ronda✅
Next stop: Dallas ✈️ pic.twitter.com/xyyX7f9Ust
— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) August 3, 2023
How did the two teams reach the last 16?
Inter Miami made light work of progressing through their group with wins against Cruz Azul and Atlanta United, which secured them home advantage for the derby against Orlando City in the Round of 32.
Messi, who scored three goals in those two matches, added another two in the knockout clash with Josef Martinez scoring a penalty in between to send their Florida-based rivals out of the Leagues Cup.
GO DEEPER
Messi scores 2 for Miami again, inspires team to win over Orlando
FC Dallas, on the other hand, have had a rather more complicated journey to this stage of the competition.
\They were beaten on penalties by Charlotte in their first group game, but managed to qualify for the knockouts by convincingly beating Necaxa 3-0.
Their Round of 32 tie — a visit to face Mazatlan — was a tight affair after second-half goals from Alan Velasco and Andres Montano squared the game on the hour mark. Eugene Ansah was the hero for Dallas, though as he headed his side into the lead in the 75th minute.
How to watch Inter Miami vs FC Dallas
Every Leagues Cup match is available via the MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
Select matches are also airing on TUDN and Univision in the United States.
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Wait … what is the Leagues Cup?
For those of you unfamiliar with the Leagues Cup, it is a tournament played annually between teams from the MLS in the U.S. and Liga MX in Mexico.
It was founded in 2019. But the tournament has only been completed twice — it was cancelled in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and was reduced to an exhibition last year because of fixture congestion.
In the two years it has been played in its entirety, Cruz Azul won the title in 2019 and Leon won it in 2021.
Starting this year, the tournament is now contested by all clubs from the MLS and Liga MX over the period of a month, when both domestic leagues take a break.
Three CONCACAF Champions Cup places are handed out in the Leagues Cup; two for the finalists and one for the third-place finisher — the winner will qualify directly for the last 16.
Where can I read more about Lionel Messi?
(Top photo: Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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