Inter Miami kicked off against Tigres UANL at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on August 20, in the Leagues Cup Quarterfinal. The game was a hard-fought game where Miami pulled off a 1-0 win to gain their prominent spot in the semifinals.
Togres struck first in the 23rd minute when Luis Suarez turned a penalty. This gave the Mexican side an initial lead. However, Miami did not lose its focus; it continued pressing and was rewarded with an equalizer in the 54th minute. The rewarded equalizer fired up the home crowd.
From that moment, both teams went full suppressed. The Tigers tried to handle the situation with calmness and plenty of possession; on the other hand, Miami hit back with quick breaks and continued to press, holding the pressure on.
The centre of attraction of the game was Lionel Messi’s absence in the game, due to a minor muscle injury.
Miami showed its strength and proved it could collectively rise to the occasion. After the penalty, their defence tightened up, and they didn’t let Tigres score another goal.
Lionel Messi is expected to return to Inter Miami’s squad for their crucial quarterfinal match against Tigres UANL in the 2025 Leagues Cup. Miami seems to take revenge on the Mexican side after losing 2-1 to the team of last year’s tournament.
On game day, Messi travelled with the team to Chase Stadium wearing street clothes, which prompted his exclusion from the starting lineup. Then he sat in the stands as his colleagues played Tigres with their legendary No. 10.
At the end of the match, Miami’s hard work, discipline, and resilience made the difference. The result not only opens the door for them to the semifinals but also shows how competitive MLS and Liga MX have become against each other.
The match revealed another layer of exciting moments, a tournament already popular for drama and fierce rivalries.