Doug McIntyre
Soccer Journalist
Lionel Messi and Inter Miami are off to the Concacaf Champions Cup semifinals.
Miami scored three consecutive goals on Wednesday — two of them by Messi — to overcome a 2-0 deficit and win its two-game, total-goals-wins series against fellow MLS club LAFC.
LAFC came into Wednesday’s contest with a slim, 1-0 aggregate lead thanks to their win last week in Southern California. Aaron Long doubled the Black & Gold’s advantage just nine minutes in on Wednesday — a strike that was worth more than a single goal.
Unlike the UEFA Champions League, which did away with the away goals tiebreaker a couple d seasons ago, Concacaf — the region that includes North and Central America and the Caribbean — still uses this controversial rule to decide the winner if teams are tied at the end of 180 minutes. Long’s away goal meant that even two straight Miami strikes wouldn’t be enough to send the series to extra time.
But Messi scored a sensational goal just before halftime to give Miami some hope.
Twenty-year-old Florida native Noah Allen made it 2-2 on aggregate early in the second half. Then, with just six minutes of regular time remaining, an LAFC handball sent Messi to the penalty spot. The GOAT made no mistake from 12 yards, and now Miami is off to the final four for the first time in club history.
Play of the game
Messi’s goal was as pretty as it was timely. The GOAT took a pass from former Barcelona teammate Luis Suárez near the top of LAFC’s box, then unleashed a shot between two defenders that gave Hugo Lloris — the keeper Messi beat twice when Argentina won the 2022 FIFA World Cup final — no chance.
Turning point
Miami had two would-be goals called back, correctly, on Wednesday. But VAR came to the hosts’ rescue when it mattered most. Upon review, referee César Ramos determined that Marlon Santos had handled the ball inside his own penalty area. Messi did the rest:
Key stat
Miami enjoyed a 21-13 shot advantage, but they might not have pulled off the comeback if not for keeper Oscar Ustari. Ustari stopped eight of LAFC’s nine shots on target, including a couple of key late saves on the visitors’ star striker Denis Bouanga.
What’s next for Inter Miami?
Javier Mascherano’s side will now turn their attention back to MLS play. Miami’s next match is on Sunday away to the Chicago Fire. They’ll face either the Vancouver Whitecaps or Liga MX’s Pumas in the first leg of the final four later this month.
What’s next for LAFC?
It’s a bitter loss for Steve Cherundolo’s team, which has been the class of MLS since 2022 and had every reason to think it could win this competition this year. Instead, they’ll focus fully on MLS action, starting when they host in-state rival San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday.
Inter Miami Vs. LAFC Highlights | CONCACAF Champions Cup | FOX Soccer
Doug McIntyre is a soccer reporter for FOX Sports who has covered United States men’s and women’s national teams at FIFA World Cups on five continents. Follow him @ByDougMcIntyre.
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