Vancouver's Whitecaps triumph over Inter Miami 3-1, knocking Lionel Messi's team out of the Champions Cup tournament.
** slowed down the vibe at Fort Lauderdale 🏟️**
In a nail-biting CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinal, the Vancouver Whitecaps left Lionel Messi's squad reeling, securing a 3-1 victory over Inter Miami, crushing Miami's dreams of making the tournament's final.
Brian White and Pedro Vite scored two minutes apart, turning the tide in the second half, and Sebastian Berhalter also found the back of the net for Vancouver, which advanced with a 5-1 aggregate score. They'll face either Cruz Azul or Tigres UNAL in the Champions Cup final on June 1.
Entering the match, Miami had a mountain to climb, trailing 0-2 in the aggregate after being shut out in the first leg. To progress, they needed a victory by at least three goals in regulation. However, this uncommon feat proved elusive for the squad that entered the match flush with confidence in the Messi era.
Messi was held scoreless, marking the fourth straight match without a goal. The MLS has seen its fair share of struggles in the tournament historically, with only three champions recorded[3]. Yet, the Whitecaps demonstrated ruthless efficiency on the night, putting an end to Miami's hopes of becoming the first team to come back from a 2-0 semifinal first-leg loss[1][5].
Berhalter found White for the equalizer in the 51st minute, and Vite sent a deflection past Oscar Ustari in the 53rd. Berhalter, who had an assist on the first two goals, secured the victory with a shot into the bottom left corner in the 71st.
Despite his crucial contributions, Berhalter will miss the championship due to yellow card accumulation. He was shown one in the first half after a foul on Miami's Tadeo Allende.
Miami managed to score early, with Jordi Alba netting his first goal of the season nine minutes into the game on a feed from Luis Suarez. However, Miami couldn't capitalize on a series of chances that followed, and they dropped their third straight match[2]. This unfortunate streak marks the first time Miami has lost that many consecutive games in the Messi era.
Alanis Thames, The Associated Press
(Note: This scenario remains unverified in the provided records as of February 2023[1][5]. Official CONCACAF archival data would be necessary for a definitive confirmation)
- Despite the mounting deficit, Inter Miami struggled to score in the second half of the game against Vancouver Whitecaps in Fort Lauderdale, a venue where the vibe was noticeably subdued.
- In the semifinal of the CONCACAF Champions Cup, the NFL-styled American football game played by Inter Miami was overshadowed by the dominant performance of Vancouver Whitecaps, who secured a 3-1 victory.
- On the field where the whitecaps often form during Thurs nights, the half of the match in question saw Vancouver Whitecaps demonstrate ruthless efficiency, effectively eliminating Inter Miami, who were aiming to make history by coming back from a 2-0 deficit.
- When Sebastian Berhalter scored his goal in the 71st minute, the defeat for Inter Miami in Fort Lauderdale became a reality, marking the first time they had lost three consecutive games in the Messi era, setting a dark stain on the pristine whitecaps of the Miami football field.
