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Lionel Messi World Cup fears grow after Inter Miami’s wild 6-4 victory
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- Lionel Messi World Cup fears grow after Inter Miami’s wild 6-4 victory
Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images
Inter Miami ’s 6-4 win over Philadelphia Union on Sunday night should have been remembered as one of the wildest matches of the MLS season.
The result lifted Miami to 31 points and kept them near the top of the Eastern Conference, but the mood afterwards was not just about celebration.
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Messi provided two assists before he was forced off in the 73rd minute, feeling discomfort around his left hamstring. He went straight down the tunnel, turning a famous win into a scare.
Lionel Messi injury scare overshadows Inter Miami’s big win
Photo by Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Miami had already shown the attacking firepower their squad promised. Luis Suarez scored a hat-trick, while German Berterame netted twice, and Messi helped control the tempo.
The alarm came because the No. 10 had to come off and did not stay on the bench afterwards. He headed directly to the dressing room, with early reports pointing to a possible hamstring problem.
In that context, Miami took three points, but Argentina now wait for clarity on the fitness of the player their World Cup plan still revolves around.
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Argentina face nervous wait before World Cup opener
This was Messi’s final club match before the World Cup, making the timing especially uncomfortable for Lionel Scaloni and his staff.
Scaloni has not announced his final roster yet, although Messi’s place was effectively secured unless he chose not to take part in the tournament.
Argentina open against Algeria on 16 June, giving Messi 22 days from 25 May to recover if tests confirm anything serious.
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