Inter Miami advanced to the Leagues Cup semifinals with a 2-1 victory over Tigres UANL, overcoming the absence of Lionel Messi thanks to a brace from Luis Suarez. The match, a Leagues Cup quarterfinal, was held on Wednesday night.
Messi was sidelined due to a minor muscle injury. He had initially picked up the injury on August 2nd during a Leagues Cup match against Necaxa and had already missed games against Pumas and Orlando City. Although he returned as a substitute against the LA Galaxy, scoring a goal and providing an assist, coach Javier Mascherano revealed that Messi still felt some discomfort. As a precaution, Messi trained separately from the team leading up to the Tigres match. Ultimately, the decision was made to exclude him from the lineup.
Despite Messi's absence, Inter Miami managed to secure the win, with veteran striker Luis Suarez stepping up to lead the attack. Suarez scored both of Inter Miami's goals from penalty kicks. The first penalty was awarded after a handball by Tigres' Javier Aquino, following a cross from Jordi Alba. Suarez calmly converted the penalty to give Inter Miami a 1-0 lead.
Tigres, however, did not back down and found an equalizer in the 67th minute through Ángel Correa. Correa's goal injected new life into the game, and the Mexican side began to exert more control.
The decisive moment came late in the match when another handball by Javier Aquino resulted in a second penalty for Inter Miami. Suarez once again stepped up and confidently dispatched the penalty, securing the 2-1 victory and sending Inter Miami to the semifinals.
The match wasn't without its challenges for Inter Miami. Jordi Alba had to be substituted off in the second half due to a leg injury. Adding to the drama, coach Javier Mascherano was shown a red card before the restart after halftime for arguing with the referee.
Inter Miami will now face the winner of the Toluca-Orlando City match in the Leagues Cup semifinals. The team is aiming to defend their Leagues Cup title from 2023, which they won with Messi playing a crucial role.
Inter Miami's season has been a mix of success and challenges. They are the defending Supporters' Shield champions after a record-breaking regular season in 2024. However, they suffered a shocking early exit in the MLS playoffs. The team is also preparing to participate in the FIFA Club World Cup 2025. They will be competing in Group A alongside Palmeiras, FC Porto, and Al Ahly FC, with their opening match scheduled against Al Ahly FC on June 14 at Hard Rock Stadium. The 2025 season will be the team's last at Chase Stadium before moving to Miami Freedom Park in 2026.
