inter miami vs c.f. monterrey standings: Monterrey win late
Inter Miami and Monterrey both finished on 3 points after a 2-1 Rayados win in Leagues Cup play on August 8, 2026. Diego Rossi scored the 90th-minute winner…
A late goal changed the picture in the inter miami vs c.f. monterrey standings on August 8, 2026, as Monterrey beat Inter Miami 2-1 in a Leagues Cup group match. Diego Rossi struck in the 90th minute at 8:00 PM, and both clubs finished the night on 3 points.
The result kept Monterrey alive in the group and left Miami with work to do in its final match. Inter Miami played without Lionel Messi, who returned to Argentina after the death of his father, Jorge, earlier in the day.
Rossi decides it in the 90th minute
Inter Miami opened the scoring through Rodrigo De Paul in the 32nd minute. He fired from 25 yards and sent the ball inside the left post, giving Miami a lead that held through halftime.
Monterrey answered quickly after the break. Hugo Cuypers levelled the match in the 47th minute, and Rossi finished the turnaround with the winner two minutes from the end.
Rossi’s goal came after he joined Monterrey from the Columbus Crew on July 3. Cuypers, meanwhile, arrived from the Chicago Fire on July 23 after scoring 13 goals in 11 games this season before the transfer.
What the standings now say
ESPN listed both teams at 1-0-1 with 3 points after the match. Miami sat 11th in the broader table, while Monterrey stood 21st, according to the match page.
Goal reported that in the Leagues Cup standings, Inter Miami were 7th and Monterrey 26th before kickoff. The format sends the top four clubs from each regional table into the quarterfinals, so every point carries weight in a compact group phase.
That is the pressure point here. Miami had beaten Atletico de San Luis 4-2 in its opening match, while Monterrey lost 2-1 to Orlando City in its first game. After this result, both sides still had one group match left on Wednesday.
Messi’s absence, and the reaction on the field
Without Messi, Miami still found one bright moment from De Paul. He celebrated by briefly removing his No. 7 jersey to reveal Messi’s No. 10, a tribute that earned him a yellow card.
Messi had scored twice and added an assist in Miami’s first Leagues Cup match against Atletico de San Luis, but he did not play against Monterrey. Yahoo Sports reported it was not known when the 39-year-old forward would return to the club.
Monterrey also had an early setback. Defender Carlos Salcedo left injured in the 15th minute and was replaced by Jorge Rodríguez.
Why the result matters
This was not just a single group-stage swing. The loss puts Miami’s knockout-stage path under strain, even after the club’s strong start in the tournament. Monterrey, by contrast, got a result that keeps its own hopes from slipping away after the opening defeat to Orlando City.
The numbers tell the story. Miami had 42% possession to Monterrey’s 58%, and Monterrey also finished with six shots on target to Miami’s four, according to ESPN’s match stats. Rossi’s finish, though, was the sharpest moment of the night.
Both clubs conclude the group phase on Wednesday, and the next round depends on what comes from that final matchday.
