Inter Miami secured a 2-0 victory over Jamaica’s Cavalier FC in the first leg of their Concacaf Champions Cup round-of-16 tie on Thursday.
The match, held at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, saw goals from Tadeo Allende and Luis Suárez, ensuring a crucial win for the home side.
Despite the absence of star player Lionel Messi, who was rested for the game, Inter Miami managed to break through Cavalier’s resilient defense.
The first half was marked by a disallowed goal for Cavalier, as Shaquille Stein’s effort was ruled offside after a lengthy VAR review.
The breakthrough for Inter Miami came in the 61st minute when Tadeo Allende capitalized on a goalmouth scramble to fire the ball into the corner of the net.
Cavalier’s high-energy approach in the first half took its toll, and weary defending in the 83rd minute allowed Luis Suárez to pounce on a mis-control by Shamar Watson and tuck home the second goal.
Inter Miami’s coach, Javier Mascherano, expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance, highlighting the importance of maintaining focus and composure in the second leg, which will be played in Kingston on March 13.
Cavalier, the reigning Caribbean Cup champions, will need to regroup and find a way to overcome the two-goal deficit if they hope to advance to the quarterfinals.
This victory puts Inter Miami in a strong position as they look to secure their spot in the next round of the competition. The team’s ability to adapt and perform under pressure, even without their key player, demonstrates their depth and determination to succeed on the international stage.
