Without Messi, Inter Miami suffers... but defeats Cavalier

When their leader is not around, the team feels it. However, that handicap did not prevent Inter Miami from being able to win. The MLS side avoided a scare in the round of 16 of the CONCACAF Champions Cup, defeating Cavalier (2-0) in the first leg. The match was played at Chase Stadium in Miami.

Inter Miami did not play its best soccer despite the victory. The team was missing its captain, Leo Messi, who followed the game from the stadium's boxes due to slight physical problems.

Cavalier, reigning Caribbean Cup champions, had clear chances to to score against Miami. But they suffered from bad fortune, as seen at the start of the game, when they smashed the ball into the post. Before the end of the first half, the referee disallowed a goal to the Jamaicans for offside.

Javier Mascherano, Inter Miami's coach, gave a negative assessment of his players' performance in the first half: "We played with fire and when you play with fire it is very possible to get burned. It's a game in which we were lucky. The three or four counterattacks they had were not able to finish them in the best way."

The American side's goals came in the second half, when they responded. In the 61st minute, Tadeo Allende put Inter Miami ahead on the scoreboard after several deflections inside the rival area.

The second goal was scored by Luis Suárez. The Uruguayan striker took advantage of a perfectly crafted counterattack and sent the ball into the opponent's goal with his left foot.