Inter Miami launched their 2025 Leagues Cup campaign with a commanding victory over Atlas, showcasing their strength on the field. They then encountered a tougher battle against Necaxa, resulting in a tie that pushed the game into a tense penalty shootout. This outcome left them with five points in the standings, landing them in third place. As a result, advancing to the quarterfinals now hinges on a precise set of circumstances against Pumas UNAM.
To secure a spot in the next phase of the 2025 Leagues Cup, Inter Miami, led by Javier Mascherano, must win their upcoming match outright, avoiding a penalty shootout. The latter would propel them to 8 points and guarantee a place in the quarterfinals. This scenario remains achievable because Inter Miami stand out as the only MLS team currently holding 5 points, keeping its fate entirely in its own hands.
Despite this scenario, Inter Miami face a tough task as they need to defeat Pumas UNAM. The issue at hand is that head coach Javier Mascherano cannot rely on Lionel Messi, who will miss the game due to injury. While Telasco Segovia is set to step in and fill the midfield role, the team’s last encounter without the Argentine icon ended in a draw. Another tie or a loss would drastically change its circumstances.
What happens if Inter Miami tie against Pumas UNAM?
If Inter Miami tie with Pumas UNAM in regulation time and then triumphs on penalties, they will earn seven points. This outcome would complicate their path to the quarterfinals of the 2025 Leagues Cup. To advance, they would rely on Minnesota United, Columbus Crew, Orlando City, FC Cincinnati, and New York Red Bulls failing to win their respective matches.
Rodrigo de Paul #7 of Inter Miami looks on during the Leagues Cup Phase One match between Inter Miami CF and Atlas FC at Chase Stadium on July 30, 2025 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Should Lionel Messi’s squad reach the penalty shootout and suffer defeat, its hopes of qualifying would remain alive but significantly slimmer. In this scenario, Inter Miami would also need the aformentioned teams as well as Los Angeles Galaxy, Colorado Rapids, New York City FC, Real Salt Lake, and Los Angeles FC to draw or lose.
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With Lionel Messi injured, Inter Miami recover suspended player to face Pumas UNAM after successful appeal
What happens if Inter Miami lose against Pumas UNAM?
In case Inter Miami are defeated by Pumas UNAM, their prospects of advancing will take a significant hit. To keep their hopes alive for the 2025 Leagues Cup quarterfinals, they would rely on a series of favorable outcomes: teams ranked 4th to 8th must lose their matches, while those ranked 9th to 14th need to force draws but then succumb in penalty shootouts.
