Everything Miami was creating was coming through Messi, who flashed a snapshot wide before moments later whipping in a cross for a Gomez header which was saved by Panicco's feet.
Mexican side Monterrey sent Lionel Messi and Inter Miami crashing out of the CONCACAF Champions Cup on Wednesday after completing a 5-2 aggregate victory in their quarter-final clash.
Messi, the beloved Border collie who stole hearts in the Oscar-nominated film "Anatomy of a Fall", will not be gracing the red carpet at the upcoming Academy Awards ceremony. Despite capturing the attention of Hollywood's elite at the recent nominees' luncheon, the four-legged sensation will be notably absent from Sunday's star-studded event.
Messi's goal came in the second minute of second-half stoppage time and kept Inter Miami unbeaten (1-0-1, 4 points).
In a video posted on China's Weibo social media platform, Messi rejected chatter that his no-show was "for political reasons" and said if this had been the case, "I would not have traveled" to Hong Kong in the first place.
The World Cup winner joined Inter from Paris Saint Germain in mid-July, the biggest name ever to move to MLS and his signing caused a massive spurt in interest in American soccer.
Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez channelled his inner Lionel Messi when he scored his side’s third goal in a classy 3-1 win in a fourth-round FA Cup tie against Aston Villa at Villa Park on Thursday.
It came days after his absence on the pitch in a recent Hong Kong friendly had angered fans there.
Organisers of a Hong Kong football match which drew boos after star man Lionel Messi failed to play said Monday they deeply regretted the no-show, and would withdraw a bid for a HK$16 million ($2 million) government grant.
Messi returned to the starting line-up after skipping Saturday's 5-2 defeat at Atlanta due to muscle fatigue but he had to leave the field in the 38th minute, looking uncomfortable
It isn't yet known if either Messi or Alba will be available Wednesday, though both trained in full on Tuesday. With two regular-season matches slated before Miami plays in the U.S. Open Cup final on Sept. 27, Messi and/or Alba could be given further time to recuperate
Messi and his former Barcelona team-mate Jordi Alba both sat out the game with Martino saying it would have been "very reckless" for the Argentine to play in Atlanta
Messi, who has had a hectic schedule with his club Inter Miami, watched his teammates from the bench but was not listed as a substitute, having complained of tiredness after scoring the winner in Thursday's 1-0 victory over Ecuador.
Messi was one of eight Inter Miami players away on international duty, but Gerardo "Tata" Martino's team showed their strength in depth as they extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to 12 games.
"If you love Cristiano Ronaldo, you don’t have to hate (Lionel) Messi. We have both changed the history of world football,” Ronaldo said during an interview during with Record, a Portuguese newspaper.
Messi, who recently left Paris Saint-Germain for Inter Miami, is in with a chance of succeeding Karim Benzema and winning the Ballon d'Or for the eighth time in his remarkable career after leading Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar last year
Lionel Messi and Inter Miami face the MLS champions as their bid to make the playoffs takes them to Los Angeles on Sunday.
Coach Lionel Scaloni's 32-man squad also features stalwarts including Angel Di Maria, who returned to Benfica this year, and defender Nicolas Otamendi.
Second-half goals from Luciano Acosta and Brandon Vazquez lifted Cincinnati to a 2-1 victory at Atlanta, where Colombian Edwin Mosquera's first MLS goal had put the hosts ahead in the 10th minute