FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – A busy week for Lionel Messi and Inter Miami ended with a relatively easy night at the office.
Messi and Inter Miami played their best game of the young season, relying on three first-half goals to oust Sporting Kansas City in the first round of their Concacaf Champions Cup series, winning 3-1 on Tuesday night at Chase Stadium (4-1 on aggregate score).
Messi scored in the 19th minute, taking a pass from Luis Suarez off his chest, then swinging his legendary left boot to send a goal into the back of the net to start the night.
Rookie Tadeo Allende (45’+1’) and Suarez (45’+3’) scored two minutes apart in first-half extra time to help Inter Miami advance to the Round-of-16 in the Champions Cup.
Inter Miami’s next opponent will be Jamaican league champion Cavalier FC. They’ll play at Inter Miami on March 6, then in Jamaica on March 13.
“Guys like obviously Messi and Suarez, they know the moments in the game. They just know. And they operate at such a different level than other players. They’ve, they’ve done it at all leagues and levels, different types of games — Champions League, whatever,” Sporting KC coach Peter Vermes said after the loss.
“Against this team, if you can score… it can change the game. But if you let them get ahead of you, the game can open up, because with one chance, they can just break you.”
Messi played 68 minutes on Tuesday night, shortly after Messi and Suarez were both fined undisclosed amounts for MLS rules violations. Both were found to have violated the face/head/neck area for separate instances in the club’s season opener.
Messi scored a goal in each of the two matches against Sporting KC in the first round, helping the club take a 1-0 lead in the series last week before Tuesday’s lopsided win.
Messi had two assists during Inter Miami’s 2-2 draw with New York City FC in the MLS season opener Saturday. But his postgame actions, including squeezing the back of NYC assistant coach Mehdi Ballouchy, warranted action from the MLS disciplinary committee. Suarez also grabbed the back of defender Birk Risa’s neck after the halftime whistle as both players argued on the pitch before teammates intervened.
Overall, Messi and Inter Miami have played three matches in six days and eight matches in 40 days when you include their preseason, which included visits to Las Vegas, Peru, Panama, Honduras and Tampa Bay, Florida.
They’ll have six days until they’re back in action again, and can use the rest.
“We were hit by the start of the season with three games in six days with travel, with some injuries that we didn’t expect to happen. And well, you have to manage all these situations,” Mascherano said when asked about pulling Suarez and Sergio Busquets in the 81st minute after Messi’s early exit. “The important thing is that they understand this situation — that it’s for their own good and that once they’re well, we’ll be stronger. In the end, it’s about being able to count on all of them for as many games as possible.”
Inter Miami’s next match in the MLS season is away against the Houston Dynamo on March 2, in the second edition of MLS and Apple TV’s ‘Sunday Night Soccer’ showcase.
The club will also host FC Charlotte on March 9 between their next set of Champions Cup matches.
Here’s everything you need to know about Inter Miami-Sporting Kansas City tonight:
Messi leaves the game as substitute: Inter Miami 3, Sporting KC 1
Lionel Messi’s night is over. He’s been substituted off in the 68th minute of the match. He handed the captain armband to Jordi Alba before trotting off the pitch.
Memo Rodríguez goal: Inter Miami 3, Sporting Kansas City 1
Sporting KC’s Memo Rodríguez came off the bench, and scored a goal five minutes later, ricocheting his shot off Inter Miami defender Maxi Falcon in the 63rd minute.
Inter Miami leads 3-1 in the match, and 4-1 on aggregate score.
Luis Suarez goal: Inter Miami 3, Sporting KC 0
Add Luis Suarez in the scoring column. Suarez beautifully played an errant deflection in the penalty area, then squared up for a swinging right kick as he scored his first goal of the season just before halftime (45’+3’).
Inter Miami’s commanding aggregate lead is 4-0 in the Champions Cup matchup against Sporting KC.
Expect some substitutions for Messi, Suarez and some other Inter Miami standouts in the second half.
Tadeo Allende goal: Inter Miami 2, Sporting KC 0
Inter Miami rookie Tadeo Allende has scored on an assist from Jordi Alba, just before halftime (45’+1) to help his side increase its commanding lead against Sporting KC. Messi sent an outlet pass to Alba, who found Allende cutting toward the net for the score.
Inter Miami is now up 3-0 on aggregate score, and should coast the rest of the way.
Lionel Messi goal highlight: Inter Miami 1, Sporting KC 0
Lionel Messi took a ball off his chest, and swung his legendary left boot. Messi has scored in the 19th minute to give Inter Miami a 1-0 lead against Sporting KC in the second leg of their Champions Cup matchup.
Luis Suarez gets the assist for the volley Messi sent into the back of the net to double Inter Miami’s lead in the series. Inter Miami leads 2-0 on aggregate score in the series, with Messi scoring both goals.
Is Messi playing tonight?
Yes, Messi is a starter for Inter Miami tonight. Here are the starting lineups for both clubs.
What time does Inter Miami vs. Sporting Kansas City match begin?
The game will begin at 8 p.m. ET (9 p.m. in Argentina) on Tuesday night.
How to watch Inter Miami vs. Sporting Kansas City match?
The match will be available to watch FS2 in English and ViX in Spanish.
Who leads the Inter Miami-Sporting KC Champions Cup series?
Inter Miami leads 1-0 on aggregate score. Messi scored the only goal in the first-round series.
What score does Inter Miami, Kansas City need to advance?
Inter Miami would advance to the next round with a win or draw by any score.
Kansas City would advance by scoring two or more goals in a one-goal victory (2-1, 3-2, etc.).
If SKC is up 1-0 after regulation, the match will be tied on aggregate score and go to a penalty shootout to determine the winner.
Who does Inter Miami or Sporting Kansas City face next round?
Jamaican league champion Cavalier FC earned a bye to the round of 16 in the Champions Cup tournament, and awaits the winner of Inter Miami vs. Sporting Kansas City.
When is Messi’s next game with Inter Miami?
Inter Miami’s second MLS game of the season will be on the road against the Houston Dynamo on March 2 during the second edition of the league’s ‘Sunday Night Soccer’ showcase.
Sporting Kansas City’s game plan: Slow Messi
Sporting KC coach Peter Vermes has routinely praised Messi before their matchups. Their plan is to deny Messi the ball and not give away possession in transition, but he knows Messi can still enforce his will at any time.
“There’s so many different coaches that have tried over the years, but you really just can’t put a game plan in for him because he’s one of those players, which there’s not very few, that can change the outcome of the game on their own,” Vermes said.
Inter Miami coach Javier Masherano faces tall task leading Messi
Messi is being coached by his former Barcelona and Argentina teammate Javier Mascherano in Inter Miami’s 2025 season. Despite the inherit pressure to help the club reach new heights, Mascherano is taking his new job in stride. It certainly helps having Messi and three other teammates in Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba by his side.
“I’m not under pressure. I’m here, trying to do my best, trying to help the players to have success,” Mascherano said during Inter Miami’s preseason. “We are happy because we are doing the right things. We see on the pitch that we are working (well). It’s important going forward, keeping the same mentality we have now.”
MLS commissioner Don Garber shares excitement for 2025, 2026
Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber believes the next two years will be a pivotal stretch for soccer in the United States. The 2025 MLS season marks the league’s 30th season. The FIFA Club World Cup will be played later this summer in the United States, and the FIFA World Cup next year is co-hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
“The World Cup is going to raise the attention of the sport in ways that nobody ever dreamed of,” Garber told USA TODAY Sports. “And I tell people who don’t understand soccer or MLS, they have no idea how big the World Cup is going to be. … Just wait, it’s going to be epic.”