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Messi and Inter Miami Knocked Out of CONCACAF Champions Cup After Defeat by Monterrey From Mexico
Lionel Messi's Inter Miami crushed out of the CONCACAF Champions Cup quarter-finals after a 3-1 thrashing by Mexican side Monterrey in the second leg on Wednesday. Having missed the first leg in Fort Lauderdale last week due to a hamstring injury, Messi's return to the starting 11 had Inter Miami and their fans riding on high horse with high hopes of overturning the 2-1 defeat from the first match.
However, Monterrey were keen on preventing any comeback from happening and from kick-off, they pressed Miami with intention. A game plan that resulted in their first goal at the half hour mark when forward Brandon Vazquez intercepted goalkeeper Drake Callender's mess of a pass to tuck home the opener.
Inter Miami's any possibility of launching a turn around was made even harder when German Berterame made it 2-0 for the hosts with a spectacular thunderbolt off the cross bar from outside the box in the 58th minute. The hosts would then put the tie beyond Inter Miami's reach 6 minutes later, pouncing on another horrible defensive play with Berterame setting up Jesus Gallardo's free header into the bottom right corner with a short cross.
Beaten, battered, and heading out of the competition, Inter Miami's frustrations piled up resulting to Jordi Alba's sending off on a second yellow card for dissent in the 78th minute less than 4 minutes after picking his first booking for kicking Stefan Medina.
Eventually, Messi floated a long free kick that was headed in by Diego Gomez for a consolation, 5 minutes from full time. 5-2 on aggregate in favor of the Mexicans and the end of the road for Messi and his mates. Despite of having 60% of the ball throughout the match, Inter Miami managed only 1 shot on goal from their 5 total attempts compared to Monterrey's 9 shots on target from 17 total attempts.
Speaking in the post match presser, Inter Miami manager Gerardo Martino said, "We thought Monterrey playing with two strikers meant it would be easier for us to have a little more of the ball. But we lacked a threat in behind when we controlled the ball for long periods and what completely took out of the tie and killed us was the second goal 15 minutes into the second half. Monterrey winning over the two legs is a fair result in the end."
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