Monterrey come back to beat Inter Miami 2-1 without Messi: Highlights, goals
Inter Miami blew a 1-0 lead as Monterrey emerged victorious in the first leg of the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinals. Lionel Messi watched from the sidelines.
The first leg of the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinals between Inter Miami and Monterrey ended with a 2-1 victory for the Mexican side, who started the night trailing 1-0 with Lionel Messi watching on the sidelines.
Tomas Aviles put the hosts in front, but Rayados bounced back in the second half as Maximiliano Meza found the equalizer. David Ruiz left the Herons down to 10 men, and the visitors seized on it to pursue the win. In the final minutes, Jorge Rodriguez fired home a great shot to give the Liga MX giants the first leg victory.
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End of coverage!
That's it for tonight! Monterrey pulled off a comeback victory in the first leg, claiming a 2-1 lead with the sights set on the rematch on April 10 in Mexico. Needless to say, Inter Miami will he hoping Lionel Messi is back next week as they have plenty of work to do.
We had an eventful game in Fort Lauderdale and you lived every second with Bolavip. Thanks for staying with us, and see you next time!
FULL TIME!
Monterrey claimed a dramatic, come-from-behind win against Inter Miami, who once again missed Lionel Messi.
Watch Rodriguez's goal
The Monterrey midfielder fired it into the top right corner to put the visitors in front!
Brandon Vazquez fired a powerful shot inside the box but the Miami keeper responded.
Game on!
The game is underway at Chase Stadium!
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Teams are on the field!
Both Inter Miami and Monterrey listen to the competition's anthem as kick-off is drawing nearer.
Inter Miami's results with and without Messi
Messi definitely makes an impact when he suits up. In 19 games with Messi on the field, Inter Miami won most of the times (W11 D6 L2). Without Leo, the Herons got more losses than wins in 11 matches (W2 D4 L5).
Monterrey's form in 2024
Rayados suffered their first loss of the year last time out at the hands of Chivas, but they're still tied with Club America for the most points in the Liga MX 2024 Apertura after 13 rounds.
Inter Miami's results so far
The Herons are currently second in the MLS' Eastern Conference standings with 11 points, one shy of leaders FC Cincinnati but Inter Miami played one more game than the rest of their Conference rivals.
In their last three games without Messi, Martino's side struggled with a win, a draw and a loss.
Monterrey's track of success in the competition
While Inter Miami are taking part in this tournament for the first time, Monterrey are an experienced side in the competition.
With five titles, Rayados are one of the most successful teams in Concacaf Champions Cup history. Their last victory came in 2021, will they go the distance again this year?
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Warm ups
Both teams are already finishing warm up drills and the game will start soon!
How Monterrey made the quarterfinals
Unlike their opponents, Monterrey had to start their Concacaf Champions Cup journey from the first round, where they beat Guatemalan side Comunicaciones 7-1 on aggregate.
In the round of 16, Rayados gained the upper hand over FC Cincinnati with a 3-1 aggregate score.
How Inter Miami made the quarterfinals
The Herons made it to this stage by knocking out Nashville SC 5-3 on aggregate in the round of 16. Both Messi and Suarez were on target to rescue an away draw in the first leg, with the duo once again finding the net in the return leg to win 3-1 in Fort Lauderdale.
Inter Miami got a bye to the round of 16 for being the 2023 Leagues Cup champions.
Monterrey's lineup confirmed!
This is how Rayados will line up for tonight's clash: Esteban Andrada; Erick Aguirre, Victor Guzman, Hector Moreno, Gerardo Arteaga; Luis Romo, Jorge Rodriguez, Jesus Gallardo; Maximiliano Meza, Sergio Canales, Brandon Vazquez
The teams arrive!
Both Inter Miami and Monterrey are already at Chase Stadium to get ready for the game.
Inter Miami's lineup confirmed: Messi not playing tonight
Messi was ultimately ruled out for this clash, as the Argentine star won't even be on the bench. This is Inter Miami's lineup to play Monterrey tonight: Drake Callender; Marcelo Weigandt, Tomas Aviles, Nicolas Freire, Jordi Alba; David Ruiz, Sergio Busquets, Diego Gomez; Julian Gressel, Luis Suarez, Robert Taylor.
Messi not expected to play
According to Argentine national team insider Gaston Edul, Messi is not expected to take the field at Chase Stadium tonight as Inter Miami reportedly prefer not to risk him. The Argentine is in the final stages of his recovery and has recently rejoined team practice.
Tonight's match officials
These will be tonight's match officials:
REF: WALTER LOPEZ (Guatemala)
AR1: KEYTZEL CORRALES (Nicaragua)
AR2: RAYMUNDO FELIZ (Dominican Republic)
4TH: BRYAN LOPEZ (Guatemala)
VAR: RICARDO MONTERO (Costa Rica)
VAR1: BENJAMIN PINEDA (Costa Rica)
Will Lionel Messi play tonight?
Lionel Messi’s presence for tonight’s game remains uncertain. In his pre-game press conference Inter Miami coach Gerardo Martino refused to confirm whether the Argentine star will start or not, so it will probably be a game-time decision.
The 36-year-old hasn’t played since March 13, when he was subbed out against Nashville with a hamstring injury. Leo has already missed Inter Miami’s last three games and was also ruled out of Argentina’s friendlies in March.
Kick-off time and how to watch
The game between Inter Miami and Monterrey will get underway at 8 PM (ET).
For those in the US, there are different broadcast options: FuboTV (7-day free trial), Fox Sports 1 and TUDN USA.
Welcome! Inter Miami and Monterrey face off in the first leg of the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup tonight, and you can follow every moment of the game live here, with everything you need to know and minute by minute updates. Stay with us and don't miss a single thing!
Martin O'Donnell is a bilingual sports writer fluent in English and Spanish, with a Bachelor’s degree in Communications. Since joining Bolavip in February 2021, he has extensively covered soccer, NFL, and NBA, specializing in real-time coverage of major events such as the World Cup, UEFA Champions League finals, and the Super Bowl. Martin’s prior experience includes managing social media for the CONMEBOL Libertadores and Sudamericana in English and reporting on Brazilian football for Sambafoot. At Bolavip, he is known for his meticulous coverage during critical sports seasons—covering trades, playoffs, and finals—and for keeping a close eye on soccer icons Lionel Messi at Inter Miami and Cristiano Ronaldo at Al-Nassr. His attention to detail and ability to capture breaking news have made him a valuable asset to the team.
