American team Inter Miami was eliminated from the round of 16 of the American and Mexican Football League Cup after losing 2-3 away to its compatriot Columbus Crew.
Inter Miami coach ruled out Argentine star Messi, who is suffering from an injury to his right ankle that he sustained during his country’s 1-0 win over Colombia in the Copa America final last month.
Columbus owes its victory to its Uruguayan striker Diego Rossi, who scored two goals in the second half, turning his team’s 0-2 deficit into a 3-2 victory.
Inter Miami took the lead through Paraguayan midfielder Matias Rojas in the 10th minute, with fellow countryman Diego Gomez doubling the lead in the 62nd minute, but Columbus pulled one back through Christian Ramirez in the 67th minute, before Rossi scored twice in the 69th and 80th minutes to secure qualification for his team.
Columbus will host New York City in the quarter-finals next Saturday, after they beat Mexican side Tigres 2-1.
In the rest of the results of the same round, the American Philadelphia Union beat its compatriot and host Cincinnati 4/2, to set a date on Saturday at home in the quarter-finals with the Mexican Mazatlan, who defeated its compatriot Cruz Azul, the host, on penalties 3/1, after a 2/2 draw at the end of regular time.
Colorado Rapids of the United States beat host Toluca of Mexico 2-1, and will face Club America of Mexico on Saturday away from home, after they beat their guest San Luis of the United States 4-2. Los Angeles FC of the United States also beat their compatriot San Jose 4-1, in a match that witnessed the first appearance of the French national team’s historical scorer Olivier Giroud with Los Angeles after he entered in the 71st minute.
The French striker’s team will face the American Seattle Sounders in the quarter-finals, who defeated their guest, the Mexican Pumas, 4/0 in the first match of the round of 16 on Monday.
Clubs from the American and Mexican leagues participate in the Leagues Cup, the first edition of which was won by Inter Miami, led by Messi, last year.