Luis Suarez scored twice on penalty kicks and Inter Miami overcame Lionel Messi’s absence to beat Tigres UANL from Mexico 2-1 in a Leagues Cup quarterfinal Wednesday night.
After leading his team to victory over the LA Galaxy, Messi did not train ahead of the game Wednesday.
“We all go off what Messi is feeling. Today, Javier (Mascherano) spoke with him and he wasn’t feeling the best. We preferred to not risk him and take a step back,” Inter Miami assistant coach Javier Morales told reporters postgame.
Suarez converted his first penalty after Jordi Alba’s cross hit the arm of sliding Tigres defender Javier Aquino. Ángel Correa scored for Tigres, slicing through the defense for the equalizer. Then, the ball once again hit Aquino’s arm in the box and Suarez scored the winner from the penalty spot.
A late header from Tigres’ Edgar Lopez ricocheted off both posts.
Mascherano was given a red card before the second half began. Mascherano was seen talking on the phone and giving instructions after being sent off, which is prohibited per Leagues Cup rules.
“We were complaining about the time. They said four minutes (off added time) and we ended up playing like six,” Morales said.
“I didn’t see what was going on. To be honest, a lot of things happened on the bench,” Morales said when asked about Mascherano giving instructions by phone.
Inter Miami’s Jordi Alba left early in the second half after hurting his lower leg in a collision late in the first half.
“We don’t have the medical report yet, but from what I understand, he took a hit to the knee.”
