Inter Miami CF fell to 10 men and ultimately lost 1-2 against LIGA MX side C.F. Monterrey tonight in a hard-fought first leg of the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinals matchup. Defender Tomás Avilés scored the team’s goal on the night in the game at Chase Stadium.
Inter Miami will now aim to turn the aggregate score around in the second leg when the team’s meet at the Estadio BBVA in Monterrey, México next Wednesday, April 10 at 10:30 p.m. ET.
Lineup Notes
Inter Miami kicked off the match with captain Drake Callender in goal; Marcelo Weigandt, Avilés, Nicolás Freire and Jordi Alba made up a backline of four; Sergio Busquets, David Ruiz and Diego Gómez started in midfield; Julian Gressel and Robert Taylor flanked striker Luis Suárez in attack.
Match Action
The early stages of the match saw both sides creating opportunities in attack. It was Inter Miami, however, who opened the scoring, with the hosts taking the lead in the 19th minute. Center back Avilés sent the ball to the back of the net with a first-time, right-footed finish inside the box after a corner kick delivery from Gressel. The goal was the first for Avilés this season and his second since joining the Club last summer, while the assist was Gressel’s first in the Concacaf Champions Cup and his overall fourth in 2024.
Inter Miami was then forced to make an early substitution in the 37th minute, with recently signed Academy product and MLS SuperDraft pick Leo Afonso coming on in place of the injured Taylor in the team’s attack. The 1-0 scoreline would subsequently remain unchanged throughout the final minutes of the first half.
The second 45 minutes of the proceedings then presented a close match up with both sides defending stoutly. The visitors, however, were able to turn the game around after Inter Miami went down a man; Monterrey claimed the lead with goals by winger Maximiliano Meza in the 70th minute and midfielder Jorge Rodríguez in the 89th minute.
The scoreline would then hold throughout the remaining minutes of the match and Inter Miami narrowly fell 1-2 against Monterrey in the first leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinals series.
Post-Match Reaction
“I liked the way we competed, I think we did a really good job and that’s what I consider most important. I also think it was a learning opportunity for the Club and our younger players, and facing that, we played up to the high standards of the match,” said head coach Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino.
Next Match
Inter Miami will now resume MLS regular season action this Saturday, April 6 when it hosts the Colorado Rapids at 7:30 p.m. ET at Chase Stadium for the first-ever matchup between the sides. Then, the team will head to the Estadio BBVA in Monterrey, México to conclude the Concacaf Champions Cup tie on Wednesday, April 10 at 10:30 p.m. ET.
Stats
Possession:
MIA - 44%
MTY - 56%
Shots:
MIA - 8
MTY - 20
Saves:
MIA - 1
MTY - 4
Corners:
MIA - 5
MTY - 1
Fouls:
MIA - 16
MTY - 20
