Lionel Messi Expected to Travel with Inter Miami for Team’s Final MLS Game Against Charlotte

Lionel Messi could possibly appear in Inter Miami’s final game of the Major League Soccer season.

Lionel MessiThe 36-year-old Argentine soccer star will travel with Inter Miami CF to Charlotte for the team’s final game of the MLS season.

Miami assistant coach Javier Morales confirmed on Friday before Messi trained with the team that the Argentina star will be available to play on Saturday. 

“He’s going to travel. We will decide tomorrow how much time he will play,” Morales said.

A muscle injury had limited Messi to only two appearances — and 72 total minutes played — for Miami since September 3. He had played 90 minutes for the first time in 6 weeks last Tuesday in Argentina’s win over Peru for the CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers.

“Certainly, having Lionel [Messi] in the team is a motivation for everyone. We know what he means for football,” Morales said. “To have him in our team and available to play and compete is always good for us. We’re happy he’s returned and is 100% and we’ll see how he goes tomorrow in the game.”

Messi came as a substitute in the 1-0 home defeat to FC Cincinnati on October 7 that eliminated the Herons from playoff contention.

The last match in Messi’s first season in the MLS at BofA Stadium in Charlotte will be the first time he has played on artificial turf.

Following the Charlotte game, Inter Miami players will have a couple of weeks off before they get back together in November for a two-game-tour to China.

Charlotte is still in the race for the playoffs, in a must win situation to have any hope of grabbing one of the last Eastern Conference postseason spots.

“If he plays, he plays. And we have to deal with,” Charlotte coach Christian Lattanzio said about the possibility of facing Messi.

“We have to focus on ourselves and we have to play our game. And also, we have our supporters on our side and we hope that they will really be behind the guys like they always do.”

Dina Boluarte Becomes Peru’s First Female President

Dina Boluarte is making Peruvian history…

The 60-year-old Peruvian politician and lawyer has become Peru’s first female president, following the impeachment of ex-president Pedro Castillo after a dramatic day in Lima on Wednesday.

Dina BoluarteCastillo was impeached hours after he tried to dissolve parliament. Boluarte, previously the vice-president, was sworn in after a dramatic day in Lima on Wednesday.

Earlier in the day, Castillo had said he was replacing Congress with an “exceptional emergency government.”

But lawmakers ignored this, and in an emergency meeting impeached him. He was then detained and accused of rebellion.

Reports in local media say he was heading to the Mexican embassy in the capital when he was arrested.

Boluarte said she would govern until July 2026, which is when Castillo’s presidency would have ended.

Speaking after taking the oath of office, she called for a political truce to overcome the crisis which has gripped the country.

“What I ask for is a space, a time to rescue the country,” she said.

Wednesday’s dramatic chain of events began with President Pedro Castillo giving an address on national television in which he declared a state of emergency.

He announced that he would dissolve the opposition-controlled Congress, a move which was met with shock both in Peru – several ministers resigned in protest – and abroad.

The head of the constitutional court accused him of launching a coup d’etat, while the US “strongly urged” Castillo to reverse his decision.

Peru’s police and armed forces released a joint statement in which they said they respected the constitutional order.

Castillo tried to dissolve Congress just hours before it was due to start fresh impeachment proceedings against him – the third since he came to office in July 2021.

In his televised address he said: “In response to citizens’ demands throughout the length and breadth of the country, we have decided to establish an exceptional government aimed at re-establishing the rule of law and democracy.”

He said that “a new Congress with constituent powers to draw up a new constitution” would be convened “within no more than nine months”.

But Congress, which is controlled by parties opposed to Castillo, convened an emergency session and held the impeachment vote Castillo had been trying to prevent.

The result was overwhelming: 101 voted in favor of impeaching him, with only six against and 10 abstentions.

Gabriel Jesus Leads Brazil to Copa America Title

Gabriel Jesus is being hailed a hero in his home country…

The 22-year-old Brazilian professional footballer, a forward for Premier League club Manchester City and the Brazil national team, scored and assisted on goals before being sent off in Brazil‘s 3-1 win over Peru in the Copa America final on Sunday in Rio de Janeiro.

Gabriel Jesus

The hosts opened the scoring in the 15th minute after Jesus slipped past two defenders and crossed the ball for Everton to finish first time past Peru keeper Pedro Gallese.

The two teams traded goals right before halftime with Paolo Guerreroconverting a spot kick for Peru after Thiago Silva was whistled for handball and Jesus cooly finishing from the top of the penalty area to restore Brazil’s lead at 2-1 before the break.

Peru had not won this tournament since 1975 and they bounced back quickly with an equalizer a minute before halftime when Paolo Guerrero scored from the penalty spot after Silva was adjudged to have handled the ball.

The goal was the first Brazil had conceded in six games since the Copa America began.

Jesus was controversially sent off in the 70th minute for a foul on Carlos Zambrano with the Man Citystriker being shown his second yellow card and leaving Brazil to finish the match with 10 players.

“I want to apologize,” said Jesus. “I could have avoided it and I also need to grow up a lot.”

Despite being down a man, Brazil was still able to force the issue on the field and goalscorer Everton drew a penalty, which substitute Richarlison converted to give Brazil their ninth Copa America title and first major trophy since 2007.

Peru coach Ricardo Garecarecognized Brazil was the superior side but said his team, who played at their first World Cupin 36 years in 2018, were competitive throughout.

“It was fair that Brazil won,” he said. “We had our momentum but the second goal…

“They took advantage of their opportunities.

“We came here hoping to win but they were very effective,” he added. “But looking beyond the pain of the defeat, I think we are on the right path, that is the feeling that I have.”

An injured Neymar and his son sat close to Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro among the crowd of nearly 70,000 at the Maracana as the Selecao secured a historic one for Brazil manager Tite, who becomes the first coach to oversee a win in the Copa America, the Copa Libertadores( Corinthians, 2012) and the Copa Sudamericana(Internacional, 2008).