Inter Miami want to follow FC Bayern and Borussia Dortmund to the 2025 Club World Cup. Lionel Messi & Co. took the first hurdle convincingly against Nashville
Thanks to its attacking stars, Inter Miami has reached the quarter-finals of the CONCACAF Champions Cup. On Thursday night (CET), Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez led their team to a 3-1 home win over Nashville SC in the second leg of the round of 16, which was easily enough to progress after a 2-2 draw in the first encounter. Inter were clearly on course for the quarter-finals after just 23 minutes at home in Chase Stadium.
First, Suarez, who had scored the final goal in the first leg shortly before the end, slipped a ball through for Messi, who immediately set up his former FC Barcelona team-mate with a through ball in the penalty area – 1-0 (8′). The 20-year-old Diego Gomez then dribbled into the penalty area and laid the ball off for Messi – 2:0 (23′). It was the ninth competitive goal of the season (five goals, four assists) for the world champion, who had been rested in the 3-2 draw against CF Montreal in LaLiga.
Messi has to leave the pitch – Martino gives the all-clear
Five minutes after the half-time break, Messi was forced off the pitch, but there was no reason for Inter fans to worry: firstly, Finnish international Robert Taylor, who had replaced the captain, headed in Suarez’s cross to make it 3-0 (63′); secondly, Miami coach Gerardo Martino explained afterwards that Messi’s substitution was a precautionary measure due to muscular problems.
It was only in stoppage time that the visitors, led by record signing Hany Mukhtar, managed to score through Sam Surridge, but it had no further impact. Inter, who qualified for the competition as pre-season Leagues Cup winners, are through to the quarter-finals of the CONCACAF Champions Cup, the equivalent of the Champions League for clubs from North and Central America and the Caribbean, for the first time.
A strong opponent awaits in the quarter-finals
The Martino team will face either MLS rivals FC Cincinnati, who won the main round last year and were knocked out in the conference finals by eventual champions Columbus Crew, or Mexican leaders CF Monterrey. The latter will take a 1-0 lead into the second leg at home (Friday, 3.15pm CET).
The winner of the CONCACAF Champions Cup will qualify for the new Club World Cup, which will be held in the USA in 2025 with an overhauled format and for which FC Bayern and Borussia Dortmund, among others, have already booked their tickets.
