Lionel Messi scored twice, including a decisive late penalty, as Inter Miami came from behind to defeat Los Angeles FC 3-1 in the second leg of their CONCACAF Champions Cup quarter-final on Wednesday night, April 9th. The victory at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale secured a 3-2 aggregate win for the Herons, booking their place in the semi-finals.
Trailing 1-0 from the first leg, Miami’s task became harder when LAFC’s Aaron Long scored in the ninth minute to double the visitors’ aggregate advantage.
However, Messi, making his first start since returning from a brief period of rest for muscle fatigue, brought Miami back into the tie in the 35th minute. He dribbled past a defender near the top of the box and finished with a left-footed shot.
Noah Allen then leveled the aggregate score at 2-2 in the 61st minute, scoring Miami’s second goal on the night after receiving a pass from Messi.
The winning goal came via the penalty spot in the 84th minute. A VAR review confirmed a handball against LAFC’s Mark Delgado, and Messi calmly converted the penalty, firing into the top right corner to seal the comeback.
Vancouver Whitecaps Advance After Dramatic Draw
Inter Miami’s opponent in the two-legged semi-final will be the Vancouver Whitecaps, who advanced after a dramatic 2-2 draw away to Pumas UNAM in Mexico City earlier on Wednesday.
Sebastian Berhalter gave Vancouver the lead, but Guillermo Martinez equalized for Pumas before halftime. Ignacio Pussetto appeared to have won the tie for Pumas with an 88th-minute goal, putting them 3-2 ahead on aggregate.
However, Tristan Blackmon scored for Vancouver in the third minute of stoppage time, leveling the aggregate score at 3-3 and sending the Canadian side through on the away goals tiebreaker. The semi-final between Inter Miami and Vancouver Whitecaps promises an intriguing clash between two MLS sides.
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