Inter Miami secured a dominant 3-1 victory against Pumas UNAM at Chase Stadium on August 6, advancing to the quarterfinals of the 2025 Leagues Cup. Despite the absence of Lionel Messi due to a muscle injury, the team showed resilience and skill to progress.
Rodrigo De Paul, Luis Suarez, and Tadeo Allende were pivotal in the win. De Paul scored his first goal for Inter Miami, while Suarez converted a penalty and assisted on two other goals. Messi, sidelined with an upper right leg injury, watched the game from a suite, cheering his teammates as they took control.
Coach Mascherano’s Insights on the Victory
After the match, Inter Miami’s coach Javier Mascherano expressed cautious optimism, saying, “We achieved this, but we haven’t also achieved anything. When we have great players, we don’t need to do much. We just need to reorganize to see how they can feel more comfortable. Then, you just have to let them play.”
De Paul’s goal came in the 45th minute, just before halftime, equalizing Pumas’ Jorge Ruvalcaba’s 34th-minute strike. Suarez scored a penalty in the 59th minute and later assisted De Paul and Allende in their goals.
Suarez’s celebration was emotional, wearing a cowboy hat with his daughter Delfina’s name and sending her kisses. Delfina had celebrated her 15th birthday earlier in the week.
Looking Ahead: Inter Miami’s Path to the Knockout Stage
With this win, Inter Miami secured eight points in the MLS side of the Leagues Cup standings, ensuring their place in the knockout stage. The top four teams from both MLS and Liga MX will compete in the quarterfinals, set for August 19 and 20.
Coach Mascherano, though pleased, remained focused on the bigger picture, saying, “We haven’t also achieved anything.” Inter Miami will now look to build on this momentum as they return to MLS action on August 10 against Orlando City. Following that, they will face the defending MLS Cup champions, L.A. Galaxy, on August 16. It remains to be seen when Messi will be fit to return to the field for Inter Miami.
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