Orlando boss Pareja laments 'circus' as match-winner Messi avoids red card

Orlando City manager Oscar Pareja expressed his frustration after Inter Miami captain Lionel Messi was not sent off in a fiery Leagues Cup clash on Wednesday night.

Messi netted early on in the last-32 tie before Cesar Araujo levelled the scores in the 17th minute.

The 36-year-old forward was shown a yellow card soon after, clattering into opposition midfielder Wilder Cartagena.

Despite shoulder-charging Araujo in the closing stages of the first half, Messi avoided a second booking and after team-mate Josef Martinez tucked away a second-half penalty, Messi rounded off the win with 18 minutes to play.

Pareja fumed: "Tonight was a circus.

"There was a second yellow on Messi. I don't care if he's Messi."

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Miami head coach Gerardo Martino was reluctant to be drawn on the incident, putting the tense affair at DRV PNK Stadium down to a typically heated game between the Florida neighbours.

He said: "Just like when Barcelona play Real Madrid and River Plate play Boca Juniors, these same things happen. 

"We faced a very difficult opponent, it was very demanding."

And Messi's team-mate Jordi Alba preferred to focus on the positives as he lined up alongside his former Barcelona colleague for the first time.

Summer signing Alba said: "It's no longer a surprise what Leo does. It's outrageous. After two years without playing together, today we finally did it again and now I'm ready to enjoy more years together."

Miami will next take on FC Dallas in Texas on Sunday for a spot in the quarter-finals.