Inter Miami CF fell to 10 men and ultimately lost 3-1 against C.F. Monterrey at the Estadio BBVA in Monterrey, Mexico in the second leg of the 2024 Concacaf quarterfinals matchup. The match closed out the Club’s first-ever participation in the competition.
Lineup Notes
Inter Miami kicked off the second leg in Monterrey with Drake Callender in goal; Marcelo Weigandt, Tomás Avilés, Nicolás Freire, Noah Allen and Jordi Alba made up a back line of five; Julian Gressel, Sergio Busquets and Diego Gómez started in midfield; captain Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez led the team in attack.
Match Action
The first half presented a closely contested matchup with both sides generating few opportunities in attack, as both defenses defended stoutly. The hosts, however, were able to open the scoring in the 31st minute through a goal by striker Brandon Vazquez, and the match went into the half with Monterrey leading 1-0.
Despite Inter Miami’s efforts, Monterrey was able to extend its lead with goals in the 58th and 64th minutes.
Inter Miami, however, was able to cut back the host’s lead by one in the 85th minute through a header by Gómez inside the box after an assist from Messi. The goal and the assist were the first for Gómez and Messi in the competition.
The 3-1 scoreline then remained unmoved at the Estadio BBVA throughout the remaining minutes and Inter Miami closed out its first-ever participation in the Concacaf Champions Cup.
Post-Match Reaction
“Today’s defeat takes away a hope we had, which was to be able to move forward in this competition,” said head coach Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino.
Inter Miami CF in First-Ever Concacaf Champions Cup Participation
Inter Miami closed out the Club’s first-ever participation in the Concacaf Champions Cup tonight. The team entered the competition directly in the Round of 16 after winning the 2023 Leagues Cup and went on to clinch its spot in the quarterfinals by knocking out Nashville SC. In the first leg, the team earned a valuable 2-2 draw on the road at GEODIS Park on March 7, before earning a 3-1 win at home in the second leg on March 13 to win the Round of 16 series with a 5-3 aggregate score.
Next Match
Inter Miami will now resume MLS regular season action this Saturday, April 13, with the team slated to play Sporting Kansas City on the road for the first-time-ever when the sides meet at Arrowhead Stadium at 8:30 p.m. ET.
Stats:
Possession:
MTY - 40%
MIA - 60%
Shots:
MTY - 13
MIA - 5
Saves:
MTY - 0
MIA - 7
Corners:
MTY - 6
MIA - 2
Fouls:
MTY - 7
MIA - 9
