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ARGENTINE ICON Lionel Messi added the icing on the cake with a late goal as Inter Miami defeated Cavalier 2-0 in comfortable fashion to march to an aggregate 4-0 win in their Concacaf Champions Cup round-of-16 tie at the National Stadium yesterday.
The result means Inter Miami will now move on to the quarterfinals of the Champions Cup, where they face Los Angeles FC, with Cavalier eliminated.
Luis Suarez gave Inter Miami the lead from the spot in the 37th minute before Messi added the final touches in time added.
It was a good start for Cavalier, who saw a string of half-chances fall their way as Inter Miami took their time to settle into the game.
The first opportunity of the contest came in the fourth minute as a floated ball into the box was just out of the reach of Cavalier’s Dwayne Allen.
Inter Miami would begin testing the Cavalier defence as Telasco Segovia took a shot that blazed wide of the post in the eighth minute.
Suarez would test his luck minutes later after receiving the ball on the left, he curled an effort that was just wide of the upright.
Disaster would strike for Cavalier in the 37th minute as an ill-timed challenge from Christopher Ainsworth brought down Tadeo Allende in the box, allowing Suarez to convert from the spot.
Inter Miami would continue pressing throughout the first half, but Cavalier’s staunch defence limited the deficit to just one goal.
Eight minutes into the second half, Messi would make his much-anticipated introduction to the game to the roaring cheers of a packed National Stadium.
He would have an immediate impact within seconds on the pitch, twisting and turning outside the box in trademark fashion before firing an effort high over the crossbar.
Cavalier second-half substitute Kaile Auvray proved a nuisance for Inter Miami’s backline and came close to opening his account when he danced past his marker to let loose an effort that was closed down by the goalkeeper.
RESTLESS CROWD
As if buoyed by the restless crowd who were awaiting a glimpse of Messi Magic, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner scored his first goal on Jamaica soil, breaking through on goal to finish smartly around the onrushing goalkeeper in time added.
After the game, Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano said his team’s objective coming into the game was to try and limit Cavalier’s threat on transition.
“In Miami they created for us too many problems in transitions, so we tried to [do] better with that, and I think we did,” he said in his post-match interview.
“I am happy with the level that we showed tonight. I think we were much better in how we defended and controlled the game.”
The result was Cavalier’s second consecutive defeat to a Major League Soccer (MLS) team in Champions Cup campaigns after being eliminated by FC Cin cinnati last year.
Cavalier head coach Rudolph Speid said despite the result, his team gave a fair account of themselves.
“This is nothing to be ashamed of to be beat 4-0 by this team over two legs,” Speid said. “This is really nothing to be ashamed of. They have everything going for them, and I think this was a credible performance from Cavalier.”
English (US) ·