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Football: Messi returns from injury as Miami lose friendly to Kobe

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Football: Messi returns from injury as Miami lose friendly to Kobe


Argentinian superstar Lionel Messi made a second-half cameo for U.S. Major League Soccer club Inter Miami in their 4-3 penalty shootout loss to J-League champions Vissel Kobe following a scoreless draw at Tokyo’s National Stadium on Wednesday.

The friendly was the final leg of a preseason tour for Miami that became mired in controversy after record eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi was unable to play during an earlier stop in Hong Kong.

An adductor issue prevented the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain attacker from taking the field Sunday against a select team of Hong Kong players, prompting fans from the city and elsewhere in China to vent online about what they perceived to be disrespectful behavior by the visiting club.

Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi (C) takes a shot against Vissel Kobe during the second half of a preseason match at Tokyo’s National Stadium on Feb. 7, 2024. (Kyodo)

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At a press conference on the eve of the match in Tokyo, Messi said he was unsure if he would be fit to play for Miami, who are part-owned by former England star David Beckham, and doubts remained after he was named on the bench by manager Gerardo Martino.

But the 36-year-old began warming up early in the second half and drew a roar from the crowd of 28,614, far below the stadium’s roughly 68,000 capacity, when he entered in the 60th minute.

He forced a save shortly after coming on and was cheered each time he touched the ball.

Adult tickets for the Tokyo match ranged from 10,000 yen ($68) to 200,000 yen, with “special experience” packages priced higher.

While Messi started on the bench, Miami’s starting lineup included former Barcelona stars Sergio Busquets, Luis Suarez and Jordi Alba.

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In a first half that produced few chances for either side, the loudest cheers were heard when the big screens at each end showed Messi sitting on the sideline.

Busquets exited the game midway through the opening period after his late challenge on Yuya Osako resulted in him being inadvertently kicked in the leg by the Kobe striker.

Messi was not among the penalty takers for Miami, who missed their last three spot kicks.

Alba, who previously visited Japan with Barcelona, said the match had been valuable preparation for the MLS season kicking off later this month.

“The hospitality from everyone in Japan has been fantastic,” he said. “Our opponents today were a really good team. This was an opportunity to prepare really well for the upcoming season.”

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Kobe will be back at the National Stadium on Feb. 17 to face Emperor’s Cup winners Kawasaki Frontale in the traditional curtain-raiser to the Japanese domestic season, the Super Cup.


Related coverage:

Football: Messi uncertain to play against Vissel Kobe in Tokyo

Football: Japan’s well-traveled squad taste bitter pill at Asian Cup

Football: Iran eliminate Japan from Asian Cup last 8 on late penalty

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Miami, FL

Triple shooting in NW Miami-Dade under investigation

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Triple shooting in NW Miami-Dade under investigation


Triple shooting in NW Miami-Dade under investigation – CBS Miami

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Miami-Dade police are investigating a triple shooting that injured three people Thursday night in Northwest Miami-Dade.

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Miami-Dade prison inmate sets his cell on fire, investigators say

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Miami-Dade prison inmate sets his cell on fire, investigators say


MIAMI – Florida Department of Corrections officers recently asked Bureau of Fire, Arson & Explosives Investigations detectives to figure out how a 26-year-old prison inmate set his cell on fire.

Correctional officers accused Jeronimo Rosario of setting the fire shortly after 11:05 a.m., on Wednesday inside his locked prison cell at the Dade Correctional Institution.

BFAEI detectives reported Rosario likely removed the protective plexiglass cover from his cell’s light fixture, accessed the electric wires, and burned cloth from a towel.

FDOC records show Rosario has been in prison since March 1, 2023 after convictions of grand theft vehicle, fleeing and eluding police, and battery on police/fire.

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Before the fire, Rosario was set to be released from prison on Feb. 2. On Thursday, he was facing charges of preventing or obstructing extinguishing a fire and lewd or lascivious exhibition at a correctional facility.

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For No. 11 Miami, this weekend's game with Wake Forest may feel like a playoff contest

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For No. 11 Miami, this weekend's game with Wake Forest may feel like a playoff contest


MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Officially, the College Football Playoff field gets announced on Dec. 8 and the first game of the tournament is on Dec. 20.

Those dates don’t really apply to Miami. For the Hurricanes, the CFP may as well start now.

A win this week means Miami’s playoff chances live on and a loss this week means hope is almost certainly over for the Hurricanes. No. 11 Miami (9-1, 5-1 Atlantic Coast Conference, No. 8 CFP) plays host to Wake Forest (4-6, 2-4) on Saturday, now with little room for error after falling to Georgia Tech two weeks ago.

“We’re going to be locked in regardless,” Miami quarterback Cam Ward said. “We’re not really worried about no room for error. Play like that, you mess up. Even when you play good, you’re going to mess up at some point. So, that has no meaning to us.”

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If Miami wins Saturday and again next weekend at Syracuse, the Hurricanes will be heading to the Atlantic Coast Conference title game in Charlotte on Dec. 7. But coach Mario Cristobal’s mantra all season has been that no good comes from looking ahead. It has become cliche at Miami: “go 1-0 this week” is the phrase that has been uttered by players and coaches countless times.

“There’s too much going on in the outside world,” Cristobal said. “There’s too much clutter, there’s too much coverage and hype and noise to really do anything else but make sure your guys are focused on the task at hand. … Without a doubt, that’s been emphasized and that’s not going to change.”

There’s much on the line for Wake Forest as well this week. The Demon Deacons aren’t going to the ACC title game or the CFP, but an upset win Saturday and then a victory over Duke next week would get Wake Forest to 6-6 and likely to a bowl. Wake Forest didn’t make a bowl last year, snapping a seven-year streak of reaching one.

Wake Forest quarterback Hank Bachmeier (9) looks to pass during the first half of an NCAA college football game against North Carolina, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in Chapel Hill, N.C. Credit: AP/Chris Seward

“Our practices are good. They’re lively. Guys are into it,” Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson said. “We have a bunch of guys that are in their last year of football and they’re trying to, in the words of Warren Zevon, enjoy every sandwich. And then you have some young guys that are playing for the first time ever that are just excited to be playing.”

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A rare matchup

Calling Miami and Wake Forest “conference rivals” is a stretch, since the schools haven’t played since 2013. Clawson is in his 11th year at Wake Forest; he’s had more ACC games against Stanford (one) and Cal (one) than he has Miami (zero). The schools next play in 2026 in what’ll be Miami’s first trip to Winston-Salem in 17 years. “I thought about all those years that they were struggling, and then the year we get them they’re 9-1,” Clawson said.

Injury watch

A trio of injured Hurricanes — cornerback Damari Brown, defensive lineman Elijah Alston and offensive lineman Ryan Rodriguez — are “close” to returning and could all be game-time decisions Saturday. Brown would be an especially key returnee, since Miami is getting very thin in the secondary. For Wake Forest, starting quarterback Hank Bachmeier is expected to play. He was knocked from last week’s loss to North Carolina because of an issue with his left shoulder.

Miami senior day

The Hurricanes will pay tribute to 27 seniors before their final home regular season game, including Ward, WR Xavier Restrepo, K Andres Borregales and ninth-year TE Cam McCormick — now healthy after years and years of dealing with injuries. “I wouldn’t have changed my journey. If I could do it again, I would do it again,” McCormick said.

Magic number: 31

Wake Forest is 4-0 this season when holding teams under 31 points, 0-6 otherwise. Miami is 9-0 when scoring that many, 0-1 otherwise.

In the rankings

The Hurricanes entered this week leading the nation in yards per game, points per game and yards per play, all a big reason why Ward is considered the Heisman Trophy favorite. He says Miami’s offensive line deserves more credit. “If you don’t have an O-line, you can’t do anything,” Ward said.

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AP Sports Writer Aaron Beard contributed to this report.



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