Inter Miami Stars Messi, Suárez to Miss MLS All-Star Game

Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi waves as he walks off the field after being honored for his 45 career trophies before an MLS soccer match against the Chicago Fire, Saturday, July 20, 2024, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi waves as he walks off the field after being honored for his 45 career trophies before an MLS soccer match against the Chicago Fire, Saturday, July 20, 2024, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
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Inter Miami Stars Messi, Suárez to Miss MLS All-Star Game

Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi waves as he walks off the field after being honored for his 45 career trophies before an MLS soccer match against the Chicago Fire, Saturday, July 20, 2024, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi waves as he walks off the field after being honored for his 45 career trophies before an MLS soccer match against the Chicago Fire, Saturday, July 20, 2024, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Inter Miami star Lionel Messi won't play in the MLS All-Star Game while nursing an ankle injury.
The 37-year-old Messi left the July 14 Copa America final win over Colombia with a right ankle injury. His teammate, Luis Suárez, also won't play in the game Wednesday in Columbus, Ohio, with what the team described as “knee discomfort.”
Both were listed among the unavailable players by the league on Monday, The Associated Press reported.
Messi, an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner from Argentina, has missed Miami's wins over Toronto FC and the Chicago Fire. The team said both players' status for Saturday's Leagues Cup opening match at home against Mexican club Puebla “will be assessed based on their daily recovery process.”
The MLS All-Star Game pits top players from league clubs against players from Mexico's Liga MX.
Miami teammates Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba will play Wednesday night.
Real Salt Lake forward Cristian Arango will also miss the All-Star Game while serving a four-game suspension from Major League Soccer for violating the league’s anti-harassment policy. Arango leads MLS with 17 goals and 11 assists.



Inter Beat Lecce 2-0 in Serie A Home Opener

Soccer Football - Serie A - Inter Milan v Lecce - San Siro, Milan, Italy - August 24, 2024 Inter Milan's Matteo Darmian celebrates scoring their first goal REUTERS/Alberto Lingria Purchase Licensing Rights
Soccer Football - Serie A - Inter Milan v Lecce - San Siro, Milan, Italy - August 24, 2024 Inter Milan's Matteo Darmian celebrates scoring their first goal REUTERS/Alberto Lingria Purchase Licensing Rights
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Inter Beat Lecce 2-0 in Serie A Home Opener

Soccer Football - Serie A - Inter Milan v Lecce - San Siro, Milan, Italy - August 24, 2024 Inter Milan's Matteo Darmian celebrates scoring their first goal REUTERS/Alberto Lingria Purchase Licensing Rights
Soccer Football - Serie A - Inter Milan v Lecce - San Siro, Milan, Italy - August 24, 2024 Inter Milan's Matteo Darmian celebrates scoring their first goal REUTERS/Alberto Lingria Purchase Licensing Rights

Champions Inter Milan beat Lecce 2-0 at home in Serie A as goals from Matteo Darmian and Hakan Calhanoglu secured Simone Inzaghi's side their first win of the season.

Inter, who were held to a 2-2 draw at Genoa last weekend, were well in control of the match and provisionally moved top of the table with four points, Reuters reported.

Darmian gave Inter the lead inside five minutes after the ball bounced up in front of the defender who headed it into the net.

Calhanoglu doubled the advantage from the penalty spot in the 69th minute, after Inter were awarded a spot-kick for Kialonda Gaspar's foul on Marcus Thuram.

Calhanoglu converted his 17th penalty out of 17 in the Italian top flight.

Inter were without captain Lautaro Martinez, last season's top scorer, who was sidelined with a muscle problem.

Lecce, who kicked off their third consecutive season in Serie A with a 4-0 home defeat by Atalanta last week, play Cagliari on Aug. 31.

Rivals AC Milan were stunned in a 2-1 loss at promoted Parma earlier on Saturday, and 10-man Udinese beat Lazio 2-1 before Genoa earned a 1-0 win at Monza to move up to second in the standings.