In front of a roaring, sold-out crowd at Chase Stadium, Inter Miami CF etched a new chapter in club history by advancing to the Concacaf Champions Cup semifinals for the first time, defeating LAFC 3-1 on the night and 3-2 on aggregate.
After trailing 1-0 from the first leg in Los Angeles, Inter Miami responded with passion and precision in the decisive second leg. Captain Lionel Messi led the charge with a brace, and Federico Redondo added a key second-half goal to complete the comeback and send the South Florida side into uncharted territory in international competition.
Inter Miami lined up with Óscar Ustari in goal; Marcelo Weigandt, Maximiliano Falcón, Noah Allen, and Jordi Alba forming a defensive quartet; a midfield of Redondo, Yannick Bright, and Telasco Segovia; and an attacking trio of Messi, Luis Suárez, and Tadeo Allende.
But it was LAFC that struck first, as Aaron Long stunned the home crowd with a 9th-minute header to put the visitors up 1-0 on the night and 2-0 on aggregate. The goal briefly deflated Chase Stadium, but the hosts kept pressing.
In the 35th minute, Messi pulled one back with a brilliant left-footed strike from just outside the box, curling it into the top right corner to level the match at 1-1. It was his fourth goal of the tournament and signaled that the comeback was on.
The breakthrough came early in the second half. In the 61st minute, Noah Allen delivered a pinpoint ball into the box, and Redondo rose to meet it, heading home to give Inter Miami a 2-1 lead and tie the aggregate score at 2-2.
Inter Miami continued to push forward and even had a goal disallowed in the 67th minute. But their persistence paid off in the 84th minute when a handball in the box gave Messi a chance from the spot. The Argentine legend calmly slotted home the penalty for his second of the night and fifth in this Champions Cup campaign, giving Miami a 3-1 lead and the advantage on aggregate.
In the closing moments, goalkeeper Óscar Ustari stood tall, delivering a series of clutch saves to preserve the lead. He denied Denis Bouanga with a spectacular reaction stop in the 88th minute and followed it up with another save in stoppage time to keep LAFC from mounting a late rally. Ustari finished with seven saves, earning man-of-the-match honors for his standout performance.
With the 3-2 aggregate win, Inter Miami CF now advances to the semifinals, where they will face the winner of the series between Pumas UNAM and Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
But before continuing their Champions Cup journey, Inter Miami returns to MLS regular season play this Sunday, April 13, as they travel to Soldier Field to take on Chicago Fire FC at 4:30 p.m. ET.
This victory marks a milestone moment for Inter Miami — a statement win powered by world-class talent, gritty team play, and a packed Chase Stadium. With Messi leading the charge and momentum on their side, the Herons now soar into the final four with belief and ambition.
