Luis Suarez converted twice from the penalty spot, including an 89th-minute winner, and Inter Miami overcame Lionel Messi’s injury absence to defeat Tigres UANL 2-1 in the Leagues Cup quarterfinals on Wednesday in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Miami manager Javier Mascherano was also sent off at halftime. However, none of that prevented the Herons from reaching their second Leagues Cup semifinal in three years and second major semifinal this season.
Suarez’s late penalty came after referee Mario Escobar used a video review to rule Javier Aquino guilty of a penalty-area handball. Aquino also committed the first penalty offense that led to Suarez’s 23rd-minute opener.
Angel Correa pulled Tigres level in the 67th minute. Ivan Lopez nearly tied it again in the first minute of second-half stoppage time with a header that struck both goalposts but did not cross the line.
Following Mascherano’s ejection, he went to the stands. The TV broadcast subsequently showed him apparently communicating with his staff via phone, which is not allowed for a coach that was shown a red card.
Miami will host next week’s semifinal against Orlando City, a team that has won two regular-season meetings against the Herons by a combined 7-1 score.
Orlando City 0 (6), Toluca 0 (5)
Pedro Gallese made two shootout saves, then converted Orlando’s seventh penalty to lift Orlando City past Toluca in Carson, Calif., and into a semifinal meeting against their Florida rivals.
Gallese denied Nicolas Castro and Juan Pablo Dominguez after each team converted its first five kicks. Orlando’s Ramiro Enrique missed the target with a chance to clinch the victory one round before Gallese netted the winner.
The top finisher in the Liga MX table from the Leagues Cup’s first phase and fourth-place finisher in the MLS standings combined for 15 goals during their group games before playing to a surprising scoreless draw.
Toluca outshot Orlando 15-4 over 90 minutes but was quite wasteful. Orlando’s only shot on goal came when Rodrigo Schlegel’s 45th-minute header forced Luis Garcia into his lone save.
Gallese’s only save in regulation came from a Helinho attempt in the seventh minute.
–Field Level Media
