Lionel Messi found the back of the net once again as Inter Miami advanced to the last 16 of the CONCACAF Champions Cup, securing a 3-1 victory over Sporting Kansas City on Tuesday and winning the tie 4-1 on aggregate.
Messi had already scored during the 1-0 victory in freezing Kansas City last week, and it took him just 19 minutes to net another goal in the significantly warmer conditions at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale during the return leg.
Former Barcelona colleague Luis Suarez provided the assist, chipping the ball through to Messi, who was granted far too much freedom by the Sporting defenders and made them pay by slotting the ball into the bottom corner.
The visitors thought they had equalised when Dejan Joveljic, a recent acquisition from LA Galaxy, found the net after rounding Miami goalkeeper Oscar Ustari, but the goal was disallowed for offside.
Miami extended their lead in the first minute of stoppage time in the first half as Messi sent Jordi Alba down the left flank. Alba’s low cross was converted from close range by Tadeo Allende.
The hosts quickly made it 3-0 on the night and 4-0 on aggregate just two minutes later after a poor clearance from Jacob Davis ricocheted across his own penalty area. Suarez then hooked the bouncing ball into the corner.
Kansas City managed to pull one back in the 63rd minute when Memo Rodriguez’s long-range effort deflected off Maximiliano Falcon and left Ustari unable to react.
Looking ahead, Miami will take on Jamaican club Cavalier, the Caribbean Cup champions, in the next round, with the first leg set to be played in Florida during the first week of March.
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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