Inter Miami advanced to the Leagues Cup semi-finals with a 2-1 quarter-final win over Tigres UANL thanks to two penalties converted by Luis Suarez. Jordi Alba's cross led to a contentious first penalty after a Javier Aquino handball, and Suarez placed the spot-kick into the top-right corner. Tigres levelled through Angel Correa's 67th-minute finish, and Alba suffered a lower-leg injury. A second Aquino handball, upheld after a lengthy VAR review, produced Suarez's decisive 89th-minute penalty. Edgar Lopez nearly equalised in stoppage time as his header struck both posts. Orlando City await in the semis.
A pair of Luis Suarez penalties were enough for Inter Miami to beat Tigres UANL 2-1 in their Leagues Cup quarter-final, with Lionel Messi absent due to injury. Messi returned from a muscle issue to play a starring role off the bench in Saturday's 3-1 win over the LA Galaxy, but coach Javier Mascherno admitted afterwards that the forward was not entirely comfortable.
Miami were the better side throughout the first half but failed to add to their advantage, and they saw Mascherano sent to the stands just before the interval following his furious reaction to the amount of stoppage time displayed by the fourth official. Diego Lainez struck the outside of the post with a ferocious strike from distance after the break, and Tigres' improvement was rewarded in the 67th minute.
Angel Correa got by Gonzalo Ujan all too easily, then the former Atletico Madrid forward's weak finish squirmed under Oscar Ustari and in. Miami also saw Alba depart with a lower-leg injury and only a strong near-post save from Ustari prevented Correa from getting his brace. However, Suarez was the match-winner, with another Aquino handball giving him a second penalty. The spot-kick was awarded following a long VAR review, despite the ball appearing to deflect up onto his arm, and Suarez slotted home in the 89th minute.
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