Messi, Suarez take Miami to Concacaf Champions League quarterfinals
Sports Desk, (EFE).
Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez, both with a goal and an assist, led Inter Miami to the quarterfinals of the Concacaf Champions League on Wednesday with a 3-1 victory at home against Nashville.
Messi and Suarez returned to the starting eleven after being rested in the league defeat against Montreal, and the magic returned to Chase Stadium with them.
Messi assisted Suarez and then scored to make it 2-0 before retiring in the 49th minute.
The Argentine gave Suarez 40 assists in his career in the 260 games they played together.
Messi has five goals in five games this year at Inter Miami, and Suarez has four in six games.
Miami, who drew the first leg 2-2, came out to bite and only needed 23 minutes to put the next round on track.
The first goal was a football lesson offered by Jordi Alba, Messi, and Suarez.
The left back gave a pass towards the front of the area, Suarez let the ball pass, and Messi received it to close the triangulation with Suarez, who beat the goalkeeper with a touch with his right foot.
Nashville was very uncomfortable on the field due to the pressure from Inter Miami and made many errors in the ball release phase that could have cost them the second goal before the 17th minute.
Messi missed his first chance, but not the second, when he scored with his left foot.
Miami replaced Messi soon after the start of the second, an unusual change given that the Argentine showed no signs of injury while walking off.
Nashville increased the pressure for a comeback following Messi’s departure, but it was Miami that found the net again, this time through Robert Taylor, who headed home a Suarez cross.
Nashville tried until the end to score at least one and had one goal disallowed before Sam Surridge put their name on the score sheet in the 93rd minute. EFE
am/pd