Messi Leads Inter Miami to Dramatic Semifinal Berth in Concacaf Champions Cup

Inter Miami’s head coach, Javier Mascherano, sheds light on Lionel Messi’s pivotal role in their team dynamics.

Lionel Messi and Inter Miami CF have advanced to the semifinals of the Concacaf Champions Cup following a thrilling comeback. Messi’s brace, including a crucial penalty in the 84th minute, helped secure a 3-1 victory over LAFC on Wednesday night. This win, culminating in a 3-2 aggregate triumph over the two-leg series, was achieved by overcoming a daunting deficit with three unanswered goals, ensuring their progression without reliance on a tiebreaker.

For Messi, this decisive performance echoed his heroics leading Argentina to victory against France in the 2022 World Cup final. During that match, he also scored twice, once from a penalty and another during the decisive shootout against Hugo Lloris, the same goalkeeper he faced from LAFC in this match. Once the final whistle blew, Inter Miami’s coach, Javier Mascherano, celebrated with evident elation.

Oscar Ustari’s pair of crucial saves for Inter Miami played a significant part in securing their advancement, setting them up for an upcoming clash against either Mexican club Pumas or the Vancouver Whitecaps in the semifinals, with the first leg scheduled for late April.

Aaron Long’s ninth-minute goal initially gave LAFC a 1-0 lead, deepening Inter Miami’s challenge. Having lost the first leg 1-0 in Los Angeles, Long’s goal not only extended LAFC’s aggregate advantage to 2-0 but also fortified their position with an away-goals edge.

This left Inter Miami in need of at least three goals to stay in the competition—a daunting task that seemed improbable.

Yet, with Messi on their side, improbabilities shrink. Messi ignited the comeback in the 35th minute, deftly maneuvering near the top of the 18-yard box to equalize at 1-1, instilling hope in his side. This goal marked Messi’s 41st in 48 appearances across all competitions for Inter Miami.

Noah Allen put Inter Miami ahead 2-1 in the 61st minute with an unexpected goal; he lofted the ball toward Federico Redondo in the box, and a defensive misjudgment from Lloris allowed the ball to bounce into the net.

This leveled the aggregate score at 2-2, though LAFC still held the away-goal advantage. In the 67th minute, Inter Miami momentarily believed they’d taken the series lead when Messi’s deft ball into the box was headed into the net by Luis Suarez. However, it was disallowed for offside.

Keeping up relentless pressure, Inter Miami then capitalized on a VAR-confirmed handball that awarded them a penalty, which Messi converted with precision, sealing a 3-1 victory and their spot in the semifinals.