Despite Lionel Messi’s injury, Inter Miami beat Tigres UANL 2-1 in the Leagues Cup quarterfinal. Luis Suarez scored twice from the penalty spot, including an 89th-minute winner at Chase Stadium on Wednesday.
Despite Miami manager Javier Mascherano’s halftime dismissal and Messi’s absence, Herons reached their second Leagues Cup semifinal in three years. This was their second big semifinal of the season.
Miami won a penalty in the 23rd minute after Javier Aquino handballed inside the box. Suarez beat Tigres goalie Nahuel Guzman to open the score.
Mascherano, Miami’s coach, was sent off for disputing the first half’s stoppage time before the second half.
Mascherano could miss three games for the red card and phone calls with his staff in the semifinals.
The referee added four minutes at the end of the first half, but Miami assistant Javi Morales said we pleaded for the two minutes additional.
“It is not clear, what happened at the end of the first half is that the referee added four minutes [of added time] and we ended up playing six or something like that,” Morales.
Being human, we debated about time and started talking. The referee said Javier [Mascherano] got a red card and that was it.
We got little info. We complained about extra time.”
After Juan Brunetta’s low pass, Angel Correa equalized for Tigres in the 67th minute.
Tigres UANL committed another violation after the referee ruled Aquino guilty of a penalty-area handball after a video review. Miami’s Suarez scored again to win. Next week, Miami will host Orlando City in the semifinals.
