Lionel Messi made a dramatic return Thursday evening in the CONCACAF Champions Cup, scoring Inter Miami's second goal with the final touch of the match as the Herons defeated Jamaican Premier League side Cavalier SC 2-0 (4-0 on aggregate) to advance to the quarterfinals. The Argentine had missed three straight matches due to "load management" but came off the bench in the second half to help secure the win.
Luis Suarez opened the scoring with a 37th-minute penalty, converting clinically to give Miami a three-goal aggregate lead. The penalty was earned after Tadeo Allende showed slick dribbling on the edge of the box before being taken down by a defender.
Messi padded Inter Miami's aggregate advantage in the 92nd minute, poking home from close range after a Santiago Morales assist set him up on his left foot - a chance he wasn’t going to miss.
Miami controlled the match comfortably, with few clear chances for either side as play largely unfolded in midfield or Cavalier's defensive third. The result was never in doubt.
A sold-out national stadium in Kingston saw 35,000 fans turn out to watch Messi and support their local club. The match was moved from Cavalier’s 3,000-seat home stadium to Independence Park to accommodate the crowd. It was Cavalier's most high-profile match since 1971, when they hosted Brazilian legend Pelé and Santos at the same venue.
With the aggregate win, Miami advances to the quarterfinals to face MLS rivals LAFC and France’s all-time leading scorer, Olivier Giroud, in a two-legged series for a spot in the semifinals.
GOAL rates Inter Miami's players from their Leg 2 win in Jamaica...
