The Argentine came off the bench and scored with the final touch of the game in stoppage time
Lionel Messi made a dramatic return Thursday evening in the CONCACAF Champions Cup, scoring Inter Miami's second goal with the final touch of the match as the Herons defeated Jamaican Premier League side Cavalier SC 2-0 (4-0 on aggregate) to advance to the quarterfinals. The Argentine had missed three straight matches due to "load management" but came off the bench in the second half to help secure the win.
Luis Suarez opened the scoring with a 37th-minute penalty, converting clinically to give Miami a three-goal aggregate lead. The penalty was earned after Tadeo Allende showed slick dribbling on the edge of the box before being taken down by a defender.
Messi padded Inter Miami's aggregate advantage in the 92nd minute, poking home from close range after a Santiago Morales assist set him up on his left foot – a chance he wasn’t going to miss.
Miami controlled the match comfortably, with few clear chances for either side as play largely unfolded in midfield or Cavalier's defensive third. The result was never in doubt.
A sold-out national stadium in Kingston saw 35,000 fans turn out to watch Messi and support their local club. The match was moved from Cavalier’s 3,000-seat home stadium to Independence Park to accommodate the crowd. It was Cavalier's most high-profile match since 1971, when they hosted Brazilian legend Pelé and Santos at the same venue.
With the aggregate win, Miami advances to the quarterfinals to face MLS rivals LAFC and France’s all-time leading scorer, Olivier Giroud, in a two-legged series for a spot in the semifinals.
GOAL rates Inter Miami's players from their Leg 2 win in Jamaica…
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Oscar Ustari (6/10):
Made one big save in the 74th minute to keep a clean sheet. Job well done.
Ian Fray (6/10):
Playing at right back, Fray adapted well and communicated well next to Falcon and Redondo. However, he was rarely tested.
Maxi Falcon (8/10):
Impressive on set pieces and rock-solid defensively. One of their best performers on the day.
Noah Allen (7/10):
Overshadowed by Falcon, but Allen was fantastic in playing out of the back. Crucial in maintaining possession, he was everywhere across the back line in transition.
Jordi Alba (7/10):
Inverted when asked, and navigated his flank to a precision. Locked up Cavalier defensively, and influenced the attack in transition.
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Sergio Busquets (7/10):
Ran the midfield show to a precision. Classy as always, the veteran held his own in the pivot, and allowed Redondo to push forward in transition.
Federico Redondo (6/10):
Didn't particularly impress, but didn't put in a foot wrong either. From a midfield perspective, that's a solid performance.
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David Ruiz (N/A):
Subbed off early in the first half after pulling up with what appeared to be a hamstring injury.
Telasco Segovia 7/10):
Impressive set piece delivery throughout the match, and a really solid performance in an attacking midfield role.
Tadeo Allende (7/10):
Earned the first half penalty, and was a menace in and around the box for Cavalier. Great performance.
Luis Suarez (7/10):
Clinical with his penalty kick, and navigated the final third of the pitch rather well.
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Benjamin Cremaschi (6/10):
Replaced Ruiz and did his job well. Had a great 1v1 chance in the second half, but squandered it looking a bit nervous in a tight angle.
Lionel Messi (7/10):
Scored with the final kick of the game in the 92nd minute after a lively cameo off the bench. A welcomed return.
Yannick Bright (6/10):
Replaced Busquets and locked down the midfield in a roughly 40-minute cameo.
Tomas Aviles (N/A):
Subbed on with 15 minutes to spare to close out the game.
Santiago Morales (7/10):
Introduced in 75th minute as the 18-year-old gained important senior minutes, and capitalized on the opportunity with a late assist to Messi.
Javier Mascherano (7/10):
Tactically, he emphasized putting pressure on their defense, and it worked early as Cavalier were forced into committing a foul in the box to hand Miami its spot kick. Perhaps he could have rotated more without using Messi due to the state of the pitch – the grass in the stadium was torn to shreds, with clumps and holes scattered everywhere. However, the club did what was asked of them, and Mascherano has them onto the quarterfinals. Job well done.
