FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – When it comes to Leagues Cup , Florida is pink. Lionel Messi made sure of that.

The legendary No. 10 had a heroic return from injury Wednesday night at Chase Stadium, scoring a late brace as Inter Miami CF rallied for a dramatic 3-1 semifinal win over Orlando City .

The result locked up qualification for the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup and secured passage to Sunday’s Leagues Cup final at Seattle Sounders FC (8 pm ET | MLS Season Pass, Apple TV+ ).

Even more satisfying: the Herons did it in the Florida Derby, exacting revenge on an in-state rival that dominated the MLS regular-season series with two lopsided victories by a combined 7-1 scoreline.

"We had to win this game at home," homegrown defender Ian Fray told reporters post-match. "They beat

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