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Lionel Messi saves Inter Miami from Champions Cup exit with stirring fightback

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Lionel Messi saves Inter Miami from Champions Cup exit with stirring fightback


In 2017, Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Javier Mascherano spearheaded one of Barcelona’s most thrilling comeback wins. The Catalan side entered the Champions League round of 16 second leg with a four-goal deficit to Paris Saint-Germain. It was a near-impossible task to advance despite the enormous amount of talent that Barcelona fielded.

Suarez and Messi scored, and Barcelona pulled off a remarkable 6-1 win to move on, 6-5 on aggregate. La Remontada (“The Comeback”) was etched in Barcelona lore.

Wednesday night, Mascherano, now the manager of Inter Miami, relied on Messi and Suarez once again. Now in their final years as professionals, the two South Americans helped Miami defeat LAFC 3-1 on aggregate to advance to the Concacaf Champions League semifinals.

Messi scored twice, the first a thunderous strike from just inside the penalty area to beat LAFC goalkeeper Hugo Lloris and give Miami life in the first half. After Fernando Redondo’s glancing header gave Miami a 2-1 lead in the 61st minute, Miami were awarded a penalty kick after LAFC defender Marlon handled the ball in the 84th minute.

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Messi stepped up and beat Lloris again from the penalty spot. It was a flashback to the 2022 World Cup final at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar, where Messi scored twice from the spot to help Argentina win a thrilling final. Wednesday, Messi used a similar start and stuttered run-up to keep Lloris guessing before causally placing the ball into the net as the former French international looked on in despair.

At kickoff, the deficit for Miami seemed like a much more manageable challenge than what Messi and Barcelona faced in 2017. LAFC held a 1-0 lead entering the contest, but when defender Aaron Long scored in the 10th minute, the hole Miami would have to dig themselves out of got considerably deeper. They would need three unanswered goals to advance, and at that moment, it felt like Miami would crash out of the tournament, raising questions about the future of its star-studded project.

Mascherano was entrusted by Miami managing owner Jorge Mas to succeed Tata Martino and take a team that broke the MLS points record in 2024 — and won the Supporters’ Shield — to new heights. His inexperience as a head coach at the professional level and previous failures as Argentina’s U-23 coach will follow him until he wins a trophy with Miami. A loss Wednesday would have exacerbated those concerns. A loss would’ve recalibrated Miami’s season expectations as well.

For a club that wants to earn international clout on the pitch, the Champions Cup is a tournament they must contend for. Being a contender at the Club World Cup this summer, featuring some of Europe’s and South America’s best teams, might be a bar that’s too high for an MLS team to reach. Miami are still in contention to win the MLS Cup final and an international trophy. Smiling ear to ear in his postgame news conference, Mascherano reminded reporters about what he had said Tuesday in terms of what would be needed to advance.

“A cool head and your heart in your hands,” Mascherano said. “If I’m going to lose, I want to lose like that: with the players giving everything. We wanted to be in the semifinal, and it showed, making mistakes but also playing well. I just told Jorge Mas that luck is needed for these types of comebacks. That’s why football is so beautiful. The coin landed on our side.”

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Marcelo Weigandt heads the ball while under pressure from Denis Bouanga. (Megan Briggs / Getty Images)

LAFC head coach Steve Cherundolo rued his side’s inability to stop Miami when they had the chance. But the match had a bit of everything. It was a fast-paced affair in which LAFC at times looked like the better side. When it appeared that Miami might not find the goals to advance, the headlines were writing themselves, all in favor of LAFC, a Hollywood-inspired club with experienced internationals and their pair of World Cup winners in Lloris and Olivier Giroud.

Denis Bouanga, 30, a player who has been an MVP candidate since his arrival in 2022, put on a show in the first half and was a danger to score throughout the night. He terrorized Miami’s right side and should have gotten on the scoresheet.

Yet, it was Messi, 37, whose clinical play and nonstop engine (albeit sputtering at times) drove Miami to victory. They were helped by Bouanga’s missed chances in front of goal, of course.

“They couldn’t put the game away. They gave us life,” Mascherano said.

When he was asked about Messi, Mascherano told reporters that talking about the Argentina captain makes him a bit uncomfortable. They’ve known each other for more than 20 years, first as teammates with Argentina and Barcelona, and now in a very different situation as player and coach.

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Still, Mascherano’s adulation for Messi was untempered.

“He’s the soul of this team. There’s no doubt about that,” Mascherano said. “He has won everything in this sport. He’s the greatest of all time, and he’s still showing what it means to want to win. He’ll do the impossible to win. He keeps you in the game. He scored the winning penalty. I just try to help him continue to win and to continue to be happy.

“I knew it would be an unforgettable night because I know my players, even though the veterans have won everything. The young players are hungry to put this club at another level.”

Miami will face either Mexico’s Pumas or the Vancouver Whitecaps in the semifinal round, with those teams also battling it out Wednesday night. Meanwhile, their MLS season will continue, and preparation for the Club World Cup will come sooner than later. For now, however, Miami will celebrate a hard-fought win that keeps their dream of international glory alive. Mascherano made the right tactical decisions on the night and showed he has a clear understanding of what this group’s strengths and weaknesses might be early in 2025. As a player, Mascherano played with a knife between his teeth. Wednesday in Fort Lauderdale, his team did the same.

“We cannot think about the Club World Cup,” Mascherano said. “We have Chicago Fire on Sunday, but this is the way.”

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(Top photo of Lionel Messi celebrating after scoring the team’s first goal: Rich Storry / Getty Images)



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Dolphins 2025 preseason schedule – The Splash Zone 5/24/25

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Dolphins 2025 preseason schedule – The Splash Zone 5/24/25


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The Miami Dolphins now know who and when they will play in the upcoming preseason. The Dolphins first two games will be on the road against the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions then finally finishing at home against the Jacksonville Jaguars. It’s expected that the Dolphins will have joint practices with their opponents leading up to their games.

You can check out that story here, and the rest of the day’s round-up below.

Miami Dolphins Preseason Schedule Finalized
The Miami Dolphins will play two afternoon games in the 2025 preseason


Mike McDaniel

Kelly: Mike McDaniel’s steadying presence could stabilize Dolphins | Opinion – Yahoo Sports
Mike McDaniel allowed team to plan more activities together, to facilitate team bonding


Dolphins Special Teams

Miami Dolphins Special Teams Coordinator Craig Aukerman Discusses His Group
Aukerman became the first new special teams coordinator in seven years.

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Dolphins Offseason

Miami Dolphins focus on team chemistry; try out pilates and paintball – Yahoo Sports
After a disappointing season, Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel wants to improve team chemistry with outings such as paintball


Phinsider News You May Have Missed

Expectations for Dolphins offense in 2025 – Miami Dolphins News 5/22/25 – The Phinsider
Welcome to the Splash Zone, the quickest way to get your day started off right. We bring you a rundown of Miami Dolphins news from the last 24 hours.

NFL schedule 2025: Dolphins preseason schedule announced – The Phinsider
The Miami Dolphins have announced their three-game preseason schedule for 2025.

Miami Dolphins roster moves: Bradley-King waived, Gabbert signed – The Phinsider
(Not that one)

Your 2025-2026 Miami Dolphins Record Predictions – The Phinsider
Miami Dolphins fans share their win/loss predictions for the upcoming season.

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NFL schedule: Week 1 odds set for Dolphins at Colts – The Phinsider
The Miami Dolphins will visit the Indianapolis Colts in Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season. Who do the oddsmakers think will win?



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Phoenix Suns coach candidate Chris Quinn helped Miami Heat stay together this season

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Phoenix Suns coach candidate Chris Quinn helped Miami Heat stay together this season


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The Miami Heat experienced one of their toughest seasons in recent memory.

Going 37-45, Miami suffered its first losing record since 2018-19.

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The Jimmy Butler drama ultimately led to trading the star forward just two years removed from him leading the Heat to the 2023 NBA Finals.

The Heat emerged from the play-in to make the playoffs as an eighth seed only to have the Cleveland Cavaliers sweep them in the first round. Miami lost Game 4 by 55 points, suffering the worst margin of defeat in a game to close a series.

Through it all, Chris Quinn remained steady.

League sources say the Heat’s associate head coach helped keep Miami together and made sure the team didn’t go “sideways.”

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Now, Quinn is a head coach candidate for the Phoenix Suns, who also experienced a disappointing and drama-filled season that ended with just 36 wins and the firing of Mike Budenholzer after one season.

Cleveland Cavaliers assistants Jordan Ott and Johnnie Bryant, Oklahoma City Thunder assistant Dave Bliss, Minnesota Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori, Brooklyn Nets assistant Steve Hetzel, Dallas Mavericks assistant Sean Sweeney, New Orleans Pelicans assistant James Borrego, Suns assistant David Fizdale and Quinn are candidates for the job, league sources confirmed to The Arizona Republic this week.

Quinn has been an assistant under Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra since 2015. He previously worked as an assistant for the Heat’s G League team, Sioux Falls Skyforce, in the 2014-15 season.

He also played three seasons for the Heat, with the first two under Pat Riley (2006-08) and the third one for Spoelstra (2008-09).

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Quinn is Spoelstra’s “right hand man” when it comes to in-game adjustments, sources say. He has been in contention for NBA head coaching vacancies in recent years.

Quinn’s ability to connect with players is deemed impressive. He’s big on player development as evidenced by him leading the charge to have coaches available 24/7 for players to work on their game.

A Notre Dame graduate, Quinn played a role in the development of shooting guard Tyler Herro, who became a first-time All-Star for the Heat this season.

Herro averaged a career-high 23.9 points in his sixth NBA season out of Kentucky.

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Quinn was a director of player development on the collegiate level at Northwestern before joining the Heat.

Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.

Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today.





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ICE nabs Venezuelan murder suspect in South Florida during CBS News Miami ride-along

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ICE nabs Venezuelan murder suspect in South Florida during CBS News Miami ride-along


A man wanted on two counts of murder in Venezuela was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at a Broward apartment building on Thursday.

CBS News Miami was there for the arrest of the man—whose identity ICE has asked us not to disclose—as part of a ride-along with the law enforcement agency.

With growing questions and concerns about immigration enforcement and removal operations, CBS Miami had been requesting a ride-along since the new administration took over in January.

That request was granted Thursday, and our cameras were rolling for the targeted enforcement operation arranged by ICE.

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CBS News Miami did not have any control over which operation we were allowed to witness.

Operation begins with briefing and strategy in Miramar

The day started around 10:30 a.m. at the agency’s facility in Miramar with a quick rundown of the plan.

“He’s a foreign fugitive wanted for double murder out of Venezuela,” one man explained to the team. “The other male, the friend who was helping him with the car issues—we’re going to try to arrest him too… He hasn’t been accounted for by us yet, so we’re going to try to get a two-for-one.”

After a moment for questions, the team geared up with protective equipment and headed out.

ICE Assistant Field Office Director Mitchell Diaz said they are simply continuing the work they’ve always done.

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“This is what we do every day,” Diaz said. “There’s no change from this current administration to the prior administration or any other administration before that. We want to make sure that we’re protecting the community, the public, and national security.”

Surveillance leads agents to Broward arrest

Thursday’s investigation led officers to an apartment building near Sunrise. Surveillance had suggested the target would leave for work around 1 p.m. By 1:50 p.m., agents had him in sight.

ICE requested that his name and face not be shared publicly as the case remains pending. Officials say the man, in his late twenties, is wanted in Venezuela for two counts of first-degree murder, organized crime, and aggravated assault.

Records indicate he traveled through Colombia and Brazil before entering the United States illegally. ICE reports he has been a fugitive since 2018. He will face an immigration judge in the U.S. before being returned to Venezuela to face charges.

Diaz emphasized that immigration arrests like this one are administrative, not criminal—though that doesn’t mean they’re without risk.

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“There are always nerves. The officer safety aspect of it—this is like every law enforcement agency,” Diaz said. “These are brave men that are going out there every day to ensure that not only national security but the community and the public are safe from these individuals.”

Questions surround immigration practices and public perception

ICE recently touted the arrest of more than 1,100 undocumented immigrants in Florida over the span of a week in an operation dubbed Operation Tidal Wave. But Diaz insisted that these were not “raids” as some critics describe.

“These are targeted enforcement actions. Raids are different,” he explained. “A raid could be based on employment inspections just to ensure that the employer is following U.S. laws and immigration laws. A lot of these individuals that may be part of a raid may be working with fraudulent documents, Social Security numbers, and fraudulent employment cards. So raids are completely different than what ICE does as to fugitive operations.”

During the ride-along, officers also arrested a second individual who admitted to being in the U.S. illegally.

Following the arrests, the team returned to Miramar, where both individuals were fingerprinted and processed to determine if they appear in any law enforcement databases. They will remain in ICE detention until they appear before an immigration judge in the coming days.

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CBS News Miami asked ICE about reports of people being arrested outside immigration courts. Officials stressed that such arrests are part of targeted enforcement, not random sweeps.

We also inquired about concerns over parents being deported without their children. ICE responded that parents are given the choice to take their children with them or to leave them in the custody of someone within the U.S.

According to ICE, individuals with a final order of removal—or who illegally re-entered the U.S. after being previously deported—are subject to immediate removal. Others, they say, are afforded due process under immigration law.

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