Lionel Messi’s dream has been shattered as Inter Miami crashed out of Concacaf Champions Cupquest, in a match that ended in heartbreak last night after a crushing 3-1 defeat to Vancouver Whitecaps at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale. The loss sealed a 5-1 aggregate elimination for the Major League Soccer side, marking a disappointing exit from the regional tournament’s semi-final stage.
Despite a hopeful start, Miami’s night unraveled quickly. Former Barcelona star Jordi Alba gave the home fans early hope with a precise low strike in the ninth minute, thanks to a sharp setup by fellow ex-Barcelona teammates Messi and Luis Suárez. But that would be Miami’s only highlight of the evening.
Messi, now 37, had a golden opportunity to ignite a comeback but sent a clear chance soaring over the bar in the first half. That missed opportunity haunted the Herons as Vancouver took control. American striker Brian White leveled the night with a clever flick in the 51st minute, before Ecuadorian midfielder Pedro Vite doubled the blow just two minutes later with a deflected effort that beat goalkeeper Oscar Ustari.
Things went from bad to worse in the 71st minute when Sebastian Berhalter scored Vancouver’s third of the night, exploiting Miami’s disorganized defense and pushing the aggregate score to an emphatic 5-1 in favor of the Canadians.
The Whitecaps now await the winner of the all-Mexican showdown between Cruz Azul and Tigres UANL for the Champions Cup final — a potential history-making opportunity as Vancouver aims to become the first Canadian team to lift the prestigious regional title.
Related Articles:
- Messi’s Miami stunned as LAFC snatch CONCACAF Champions Cup victory
- Messi shines as Inter Miami wins Champions Cup series against LAFC
- Messi scores in MLS return as Inter Miami edge Union
Meanwhile, Inter Miami must quickly regroup. The club currently sits fifth in the MLS Eastern Conference and faces seven more league fixtures before the MLS break for the FIFA Club World Cup in June.
“It’s a painful loss, especially after reaching the semi-finals for the first time,” said Miami coach Javier Mascherano, also a former Barcelona teammate of Messi. “We had hoped to reach the final, but we must admit our opponents were the better side tonight.”
As for the Club World Cup, where Inter Miami will compete against heavyweights like Egypt’s Al Ahly, Portugal’s FC Porto, and Brazil’s Palmeiras, Mascherano was cautious. “Right now, the focus is not on that. We still have a month and a half of MLS football ahead, and it would be a mistake to lose sight of that.”
The exit may sting for Messi and fans around the globe, but the bigger question now looms — can Inter Miami bounce back and deliver on the domestic stage before heading into global competition?
