As in the 2022 World Cup final, Lionel Messi and Hugo Lloris square in front. With a class on another planet, the Argentine beat the French again and allowed Inter Miami to overcome Los Angeles FC 3-1, Wednesday night at the Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, to advance to the semifinals of the Concacaf Champions League.
Messi scored two goals and Noah Allen the second for the Rosanegros. Aaron Long marked for Los Angeles and committed the prison hand about 84 ‘.
Inter Miami will face the winner of the Vancouver Whitecaps against the Pumas of the UNAM (Mexico) in the semifinals at the end of April. The final will be June 1. The Champ champion will be classified for the FIFA 2025 International Cup and for the 2029 Club FIFA World Cup.
At 9 minutes the leagues, after a corner shot, Aaron Long put the visitors and complicated the game, because the locals needed to make three goals to qualify. And with the French world champion Hugo Lloris that seemed impossible.
After 30 minutes, Mexican referee César Ramos annulled a free kick to Messi for having advanced to collect it, but four minutes later the Argentine star a goal to encourage hopes in the Rosanegros.
At 60 ‘, Noah Allen put the 2-1 account, and Inter Miami was left to a feat goal.
The referee again annulled a goal to Inter Miami, this time to Luis Suarez at 67 ‘for foul.
A penalty committed by Long gave Messi the possibility to beat Lloris again and seal a suffered and spectacular victory.
Inter Miami had fallen 1-0 in the first leg and, consequently, needed to win by two goals difference to advance the tournament, from opposites, overcome by that same difference and force extra time. To persist that marker was going to definition by penalties.
The Concacaf rules stipulate for this tournament that the visitor’s goal is worth double.
For the third consecutive game, Messi started. The eight -time Golden Ball was lost the two Argentine meetings by the South American World Cup qualifiers, last March 20 and 25, due to an injury to the adductors.
Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano, could not count on Sergio Busquets, who had received a new yellow card in the first leg. In this way he started on the return with about four variants with respect to the team he lost in Los Angeles.
Oscar Ustari; Marcelo Weigandt, Maximiliano Falcón, Noah Allen, Jordi Alba; Yannick Bright, Round, Telasco Segovia, Lionel Messi; Tadeo Allende and Luis Suarez.
