On August 20, 2025, the Leagues Cup semifinals at Chase Stadium were very exciting. Inter Miami CF beat Tigres UANL 2-1 in a very close game.
Luis Suárez scored two penalties to send the Herons to the semifinals, and Ángel Correa’s goal in the second half kept the Mexican team in the game until the very end.
Miami beat one of Liga MX’s toughest opponents even though Lionel Messi was hurt and couldn’t play. They showed toughness and technical discipline. The win was another important step in the club’s quest for trophies under head coach Javier Mascherano.
Pre-Match Setup
18,597 people came to Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale to watch this important playoff match. Referee Mario Escobar was in charge, and both teams came into the game with different amounts of momentum.
Miami was looking to build on their success in the Club World Cup, while Tigres were riding a wave of form in their own league under new boss Guido Pizarro.
Oscar Ustari starts for Inter Miami in a 4-4-2 formation with Ian Fray, Maximiliano Falcón, Gonzalo Luján, Jordi Alba, Yannick Bright, Sergio Busquets, Rodrigo De Paul, Telasco Segovia, Tadeo Allende, and Luis Suárez.
They started with Nahuel Guzmán in goal, followed by Javier Aquino, Rômulo Zwarg, Juan Purata, and Jesús Garza.
They then had Diego Lainez, Juan Brunetta, Fernando Gorriarán, and Ozziel Herrera. Finally, Nicolás Ibáñez and Ángel Correa played.
Messi’s absence because of a small muscle injury put even more responsibility on Suárez and the new player De Paul to come up with new ideas.
Correa, who Tigres bought in the summer, wanted to keep up his great Phase One form. He had scored four goals in three group-stage games.
First Half: Suárez Strikes from the Spot
The opening exchanges saw Tigres dominate possession, controlling nearly 60% of the ball and probing Miami’s defensive lines. However, the Herons remained compact and dangerous on the counter.
4′ — Telasco Segovia received a yellow card for a cynical foul on Javier Aquino in midfield, setting an aggressive tone early.
19′ — The breakthrough arrived through controversy. After prolonged consultation with VAR, referee Escobar awarded Miami a penalty for handball against Aquino in the area. The decision sparked protests from the Tigres bench.
23′ — GOAL: Inter Miami 1-0 (Luis Suárez, penalty)
The Uruguayan striker made no mistake, slotting his spot-kick low to Guzmán’s right. The veteran forward wheeled away in celebration, knowing his team had seized a crucial advantage against the run of play.
Tigres responded with increased urgency. Diego Lainez orchestrated several promising attacks down the right flank, while Correa dropped deeper to link play. Miami’s midfield duo of Busquets and Bright worked tirelessly to disrupt the visitors’ rhythm.
39′ — Telasco Segovia tested Guzmán with a long-range effort that the Tigres goalkeeper comfortably gathered.
44′ — A moment of concern for Miami as Jordi Alba required treatment following a collision. The Spanish left-back continued but his discomfort would prove significant.
45+4′ — The first half concluded with Miami holding their slender lead despite Tigres’ territorial dominance.
Second Half: Drama and Destiny
46′ — Miami made an immediate change, with Noah Allen replacing the injured Jordi Alba at left-back.
The adjustment disrupted Miami’s defensive balance initially, and Tigres sensed opportunity. Their pressure intensified as they pushed bodies forward in search of an equalizer.
48′ — Tadeo Allende tested the Tigres defense with a header that sailed narrowly over the crossbar.
56′ — Lainez came agonizingly close to leveling the score, striking the left post with a curling effort from outside the box. The woodwork denied Tigres what would have been a spectacular equalizer.
62′ — Tigres made their first substitution, bringing on Édgar López for Ibáñez in an attempt to inject fresh energy into their attack.
63′ — Mascherano responded with a double change: Benjamín Cremaschi and Marcelo Weigandt entered for Segovia and the injured Ian Fray respectively.
67′ — GOAL: Inter Miami 1-1 (Ángel Correa)
The game’s pivotal moment arrived when Correa latched onto Juan Brunetta’s perfectly weighted through ball. The Argentine attacker showcased his class, finishing coolly past Ustari from the left side of the box. Chase Stadium fell silent as Tigres celebrated their deserved equalizer.
The final 20 minutes became a battle of nerves. Both teams created half-chances, but clear-cut opportunities remained elusive. Miami’s experience began to show as they managed the game’s tempo with shrewd time-wasting and tactical fouls.
84′ — Another handball incident. De Paul’s cross struck Aquino’s arm in the penalty area as Tigres defended desperately. VAR confirmed contact, and Escobar pointed to the spot once again—much to the fury of the Tigres players and coaching staff.
85′ — Édgar López received a yellow card for dissent during the heated protests.
87′ — Juan Brunetta joined the book as tensions boiled over. Rodrigo De Paul also saw yellow for his reaction to the penalty decision.
89′ — GOAL: Inter Miami 2-1 (Luis Suárez, penalty)
With ice in his veins, Suárez stepped up for his second penalty of the night. Again, he sent Guzmán the wrong way, converting confidently to restore Miami’s advantage at the most critical juncture.
90′ — Tigres threw everything forward. Édgar López directed a header against the post in stoppage time, so close to forcing extra time.
90′ — In desperation, manager Pizarro introduced club legend André-Pierre Gignac for Aquino, but the Frenchman had no time to make an impact.
90+2′ — Mascherano made his final change, sending on Tomás Avilés for Allende to shore up the defense.
90+5′ — Guzmán rushed forward for a corner kick, but Miami cleared their lines.
90+7′ — The final whistle blew, confirming Miami’s passage to the semifinals. Suárez’s brace had proven decisive in a match that showcased both his predatory instincts and mental fortitude.
Match Statistics
Statistics showed that Tigres had the ball more often (59.7% vs. 40.3%), but Miami was better at scoring in the final third.
The Herons had 14 shots, while the Tigres only had 12, and four of them were on target.
The fact that Miami’s expected goals (xG) of 2.5 were much higher than Tigres’ 1.0 shows how well they converted good chances, even though two of them came from penalties.
Tigres made more passes (569 to 375) and were more accurate with their passes (91.6% vs. 87.2%), but they couldn’t find the winning touch when it counted most.
There were 23 mistakes, four yellow cards, and four corner kicks for Miami and two for Tigres in the game. Ustari made one very important save, and Guzmán had to step up twice.
Tournament Impact
With the win, Inter Miami moved on to the League Cup semifinals and kept their dreams alive of defending the title they won in 2023. It also kept them in the running for one of three spots open in the Concacaf Champions Cup through this tournament.
The loss ended a quest for Tigres that had a lot of potential after they did so well in Phase One. Even though Pizarro has done great work with tactics since taking over in late May, his young coaching career will have to wait for its first big prize.
Now, Miami is waiting for their quarterfinal opponent. They know that Messi needs to be fully healthy for them to win the whole thing.
The Argentine maestro watched from the sidelines as his players showed they had the character and skills to win without him. This taught him a valuable lesson before the next few important games.
Suárez’s game-winning showing put an end to any doubts about the 38-year-old’s ability to perform under pressure.
His two penalties showed the calmness that has made his career famous, and they gave Miami new hope as they try to win another championship.
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