Inter Miami fought back from being two goals down to draw 2-2 in the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions Cup round-of-16 match this past Thursday. Luis Suarez scored an equalizer in stoppage time after Lionel Messi had halved the deficit. Inter Miami’s match was the first leg of their round-of-16 match.
Prior to Miami’s comeback, Canadian winger Jacob Shaffelburg had contributed to Nashville’s 2-0 lead with a pair of goals that were taken with exceptional skill.
Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi of Inter Miami CF have words with Anibal Godoy of Nashville SC during the second half of the Concacaf Champions Cup match on Thursday. (Donald Page)” align=”center” style=”max-width: 100%; margin-bottom: 30px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;”>
As a result of the goals scored by the former Barcelona attackers, who had each scored a brace in the 5-0 victory against Orlando on Saturday, Miami is the favorite to win for their return match on Wednesday in South Florida, which will determine whether or not they advance to the quarterfinals.
During the previous season, Miami had defeated Nashville in the final of the Leagues Cup on penalties. Additionally, Messi, Busquets, and Suarez had returned for their first appearances in regional play when they arrived.
Federico Redondo, a new player from Argentina, made his debut in the middle of the field for coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino, who was absent from the game due to illness. Jordi Alba, a player from Spain, was absent.
However, Miami was quickly put in a state of disarray after Nashville’s Shaq Moore made a break through from the middle of the field and supplied Shaffelburg, who then sent a left-footed shot from the edge of the box past Drake Callender.
Two minutes after the halftime break, the Canadian player, who sported a striking mullet hairdo, increased the lead with an even greater finish. He cut in from the left side of the field and then unleashed an unstoppable shot with his right foot that went high into the top corner of the goal.
Despite this, Miami put forth a strong response, and six minutes later, Messi scored a goal with a left-footed curler that became his hallmark.
Despite the fact that there were four defenders in close proximity to him, the Argentine World Cup winner found room to work the ball on to his left foot and then find the corner. Suarez had set him up on the edge of the box.
Suarez scored the equalizer.
Nashville was not yet prepared to throw their hands up against the wall, despite the fact that Miami had an attempt from Diego Gomez that was disallowed for offside from the beginning.
The goal was disallowed after a review by the video assistant referee (VAR) determined that Moore had been slightly offside earlier in the action, despite the fact that he had cut in from the right side and beat Callender to throw the 26,000 fans into a frenzy.
After that, however, the ball was passed to Busquets on the right side of the field, and the experienced Spanish player floated in a cross that was headed home by Suarez. This occurred deep within the stoppage time.
Earlier, Monterrey’s United States striker Brandon Vazquez scored a goal on his return to his former club Cincinnati, which resulted in the Mexican club claiming a 1-0 victory in the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions Cup match on Thursday.
In the previous season, Cincinnati, who had a strong start and had the ball in the net in the 18th minute, but Corey Baird’s attempt was disallowed because it was offside. This resulted in Cincinnati being awarded the Supporters’ Shield, which is awarded to the team that had the best regular season record in Major League Soccer.
Six minutes later, however, the Liga MX team took the lead, and it was Vazquez, who had previously been a fan favorite at home, who was the one who made the breakthrough.
Maximiliano Mesa found the striker in the area, and his right-footed shot managed to sneak past the body of Roman Celentano, the goalkeeper for Cincinnati, who ought to have done a much better job.
Not only was it Vazquez’s eighth goal in 11 games since joining the five-time CONCACAF champions in, but it will also boost his case for participation in Gregg Berhalter’s United States side for the upcoming Nations League Final Four.
A review by the video assistant referee (VAR) determined that Rodrigo Aguirre had knocked Baird off the ball prior to a corner kick in the 70th minute, which resulted in Monterrey being reduced to ten men.
Cincinnati piled on the pressure for the final twenty minutes of the game, taking advantage of their numerical advantage. However, Monterrey goalkeeper Esteban Andrada was able to prevent Sergio Santos from scoring after Luciano Acosta had done an excellent job of setting up the shot.