Miami, without Leo Messi, lose U.S. Open Cup final to Houston

Without Messi and his former Barcelona team-mate Jordi Alba, Miami struggled to compete with an enterprising Houston and could have little to complain about the outcome. Miami co-owner David Beckham, who watched the game with his former Real Madrid team-mate Zinedine Zidane, had hoped for another night of celebration after the team's Leagues Cup triumph last month.

But Miami lacked intensity and ideas as they were given the runaround by Ben Olsen's impressive Houston team. No clear explanation has been given for Messi's injury with references to "muscle fatigue" followed by talk from coach Gerardo Martino of "scars" from an old injury.

"It was not prudent for him to play, we couldn't even consider playing him for a few minutes because we would be taking risks," said Martino after the match. The former Barcelona and Argentina coach said he expected Messi to feature at some stage in the upcoming five games that remain for Miami in the MLS regular season.

"He will certainly play before the league is over. We will go match by match and see how things are coming along and if the medical department can give him the OK to play without any risks," he added. Martino meanwhile said Miami's season was finally starting to catch up with them.

"I thought it was a very exhausted team, that's the reality," he said. "The reality is that we were going to feel the consequences of so many games." With no Messi to worry about, Houston were on top from the outset, moving the ball around with confidence and purpose while Miami struggled to get a foothold.

Drake Callender was forced into a double save when Nelson Quinones drove towards the far post, the Miami keeper pushing the ball out and then doing well to get his legs to the follow up from Corey Bair. But Houston grabbed the lead in the 24th minute with a perfect counter-attack ending with Brazilian Artur feeding the overlapping Griffin Dorsey who blasted in at the near post.