Inter Miami went to Jamaica on Thursday with the mission of securing their place in the quarterfinals of the Concacaf Champions Cup and achieved it with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Cavalier FC. Luis Suarez scored the opener, and Lionel Messi, in the last minute, sealed the result.
The Herons arrived in Kingston with the advantage of a solid 2-0 home win from the previous week, meaning much of the tie was already in their favor. The goal was not to relax, but to take the game seriously and avoid any potential trouble. And they did just that.
With Messi starting the game on the bench, Inter Miami still demonstrated their superiority over Cavalier. In fact, they went into halftime leading 1-0 thanks to a goal by Suarez, who converted a penalty in the 35th minute.
Eight minutes into the second half, head coach Javier Mascherano opted to rest some of the team’s players while also satisfying the Jamaican fans who packed Independence Park to see Messi. The Argentine forward replaced Suarez and played nearly the entire second half.
Messi gets the job done
During the nearly 40 minutes he was on the field, Lionel Messi did not have a significant impact on the match. However, as the game neared its conclusion, he made the most of his opportunity. In the 91st minute, youngster Santiago Morales, who had also come on in the second half, provided an excellent assist to Messi. The Argentine forward only had to face goalkeeper Vino Barclett and finished with a delicate left-footed shot.
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This marked Leo’s third goal of the 2025 season, and all of them have come in the Concacaf Champions Cup. The forward had scored in both matches against Sporting Kansas City in the opening round of the tournament, while in the first leg against Cavalier he was unable to play due to a muscle strain.
What’s next for Messi?
After securing qualification for the quarterfinals of the Concacaf Champions Cup, Inter Miami now face a much tougher challenge than Cavalier in the next stage. Their next opponent will be a familiar Major League Soccer side: Los Angeles FC, who reached this stage after eliminating Colorado Rapids and Columbus Crew.
However, those matchups are still some time away, as they are scheduled for the first days of April. Before that, Lionel Messi will travel to South America to join the Argentina National Team for qualifying matches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
On Friday, March 21, they will visit Uruguay in Montevideo, and four days later, they will play in Buenos Aires against Neymar’s Brazil. This international break is crucial for Argentina, as the team will face their strongest regional rivals. Moreover, with positive results, they could secure a spot in the next World Cup.
