Kingston, Jamaica – Inter Miami CF earned a 2-0 win on the road over Cavalier FC in the second leg of the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16 matchup between the sides to win the series 4-0 on aggregate and advance to quarterfinals of the competition. Goals from captain Lionel Messi and striker Luis Suárez led the team to the valuable win on the night at National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica.
Additionally, goalkeeper Óscar Ustari secured a second consecutive clean sheet this Concacaf Champions Cup campaign, while Academy product Santiago Morales recorded his first assist for the Club’s First Team.
“I’m happy with the level that we showed today, I think we took a step forward,” head coach Javier Mascherano said. “We felt comfortable on the pitch…We were able to control their counterattack and that, for me, was the key to the match.”
Inter Miami took the pitch for the second leg in Kingston with Ustari in goal; Ian Fray, Maximiliano Falcón, Noah Allen and Jordi Alba made up a backline of four; Federico Redondo, Sergio Busquets and Telasco Segovia started in midfield; David Ruiz, Suárez and Tadeo Allende led the team in attack.
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Inter Miami was forced to make an early substitution due to injury in the 17th minute, with Benjamin Cremaschi coming on in place of Ruiz.
The first minutes presented an even matchup in which Inter Miami’s most dangerous opportunities were courtesy of a volley from Suárez in the 12th minute from outside the box that was just wide of the mark, and back-to-back chances from Falcón and Busquets in the 14th minute.
Inter Miami then found the breakthrough goal through Suárez, who converted from the penalty spot in the 37th minute. The goal took Suárez’s 2025 Champions Cup campaign tally to three.
In the second half, captain Messi entered the match in the 53rd minute in place of Suárez to play in front of the full crowd at an electric National Stadium in Kingston.
Messi subsequently extended Inter Miami’s lead in added time. In the third minute of added time, second-half substitute Morales found Messi inside the box with a line-splitting ball. The Argentine legend then sent the ball to the back of the net with a first-time left-footed finish to secure his second goal in the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup. Notably, the assist marked the first one for Academy product Morales with the Club’s First Team.
The 0-2 scoreline then remained unchanged until the final whistle for Inter Miami to win the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16 series 4-0 on aggregate and advance to the quarterfinals. The Club will now take on LAFC in the quarterfinals. The first leg will be played in Los Angeles, California between April 1-3, while the second leg will take place at home at Chase Stadium between April 8-10.
Next, Inter Miami will close out the week with MLS regular season action this Sunday, March 16, when the team visits Atlanta United at Mercedes-Benz Stadium at 7 p.m. ET.
Scoring Summary:
MIA – Luis Suárez (PK) 37’, Lionel Messi (Santiago Morales) 90’ + 3’
Misconduct:
CFC – Richard King (Yellow Card 79’)
Lineups / Substitutions:
Cavalier FC – GK Vino Barclett; D Jerome McLeary, Jeovanni Laing, Richard King, Christopher Ainsworth; M Shad San Millen (Shaquille Stein 55’), Shamar Watson, Dwayne Allen; F Dwayne Atkinson, Jalmaro Calvin, Jamilhio Rigters (Kaile Auvray 64’)
Unused Substitutes – GK Jamari Gordon, Jeadiine White; D Onei Bryan, Alexavier Gooden, Adrian Reid; M Jamoy Dennis, Justin Dunn; Chad James, Dahmani Mller; F Damarley Williams
Inter Miami CF – GK Óscar Ustari; DIan Fray, Maximiliano Falcón, Noah Allen, Jordi Alba (Tomás Avilés 75’); M Federico Redondo, © Sergio Busquets (Yannick Bright 53’), Telasco Segovia (Santiago Morales 75’); F David Ruiz (Benjamin Cremaschi 17’), Luis Suárez (Lionel Messi 53’), Tadeo Allende
Unused Substitutes – GK Rocco Ríos Novo; D Gonzalo Luján, David Martínez, Ryan Sailor; F Leo Afonso
Stats:
Possession:
CFC – 35%
MIA – 65%
Shots:
CFC – 3
MIA – 19
Saves:
CFC – 4
MIA – 1
Corners:
CFC – 4
MIA – 9
Fouls:
CFC – 11
MIA – 9
Photos/InterMiamiCF