In a dramatic night at Chase Stadium, Inter Miami CF battled to a 2-2 draw against Mexico’s Club Necaxa before clinching a 5-4 victory in a penalty shootout in their second match of Leagues Cup 2025 Phase One.
Midfielder Telasco Segovia opened the scoring early, while veteran left-back Jordi Alba delivered a last-gasp equalizer deep into stoppage time to force penalties. Midfield engine Rodrigo De Paul played a central role, registering his first two assists since joining the Club.
The action began in the 12th minute when Segovia unleashed a spectacular curling shot from the top of the box, rifling the ball into the top-right corner after a sharp feed from De Paul. The goal marked Segovia’s 10th strike across all competitions this season.
Inter Miami’s momentum was quickly challenged when center-back Falcón received a red card in the 17th minute, forcing the home side to play with 10 men for over an hour. Necaxa capitalized in the 33rd minute, with forward Tomás Badaloni drawing the visitors level.
Necaxa’s numerical advantage disappeared in the 60th minute when defender Cristian Calderón was sent off, balancing the contest. The Mexican side edged ahead in the 81st minute thanks to attacker Ricardo Monreal, seemingly putting the visitors on course for victory.
Yet, Inter Miami refused to concede defeat. Deep into stoppage time, Alba soared to meet De Paul’s perfectly placed free kick, heading home to bring the score to 2-2 and spark jubilation among the home supporters. The goal was Alba’s third this season, while De Paul’s delivery earned him his second assist of the night.
In the penalty shootout, Inter Miami’s composure proved decisive. De Paul, Benjamin Cremaschi, Alba, Federico Redondo, and Luis Suárez all converted their spot-kicks. Goalkeeper Ríos Novo came up with a crucial save, setting the stage for Suárez to bury the decisive penalty and secure the extra point for Inter Miami.
The result keeps Inter Miami unbeaten in Phase One of the Leagues Cup 2025, adding momentum to their campaign.
Inter Miami CF will look to build on this result when they return to Chase Stadium on Wednesday, Aug. 6, hosting Liga MX side Pumas UNAM at 7:30 p.m. ET in their third and final Phase One matchup.
