FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Lionel Messi sat in a premium on-field suite as his Inter Miami teammates were nearly on the wrong side of a historic letdown against Jamaican Premier League champions Cavalier FC on Thursday night.
The Concacaf Champions Cup round of 16 game initially appeared to be a David vs. Goliath matchup between Inter Miami, the reigning MLS Supporters’ Shield winners, and Cavalier FC, which was outscored 6-0 by MLS side FC Cincinnati during the tournament last year.
Cavalier had several chances to score in the first half – even celebrating a goal that was later negated after a VAR check that lasted several minutes just before halftime. It was unclear which side was David and which one was Goliath until Inter Miami came alive in the second half.
Tadeo Allende scored a left boot in the 61st minute, Luis Suarez scored in the 83rd minute and Inter Miami holds a 2-0 lead in aggregate score against Cavalier FC after the first leg of their Champions Cup matchup at Chase Stadium.
It was a commendable performance by Cavalier FC for at least the first 83 minutes of the match. Now, Cavalier must hope for a monumental upset in the second leg on March 13 in front of an already-announced sellout crowd of 35,000 people at National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica.
Will Messi play in that match? It’s a natural question after the Argentine World Cup champion was given a second night of rest to start the MLS season.
Messi is healthy, uninjured and rested after a match full of adversity. But his return to action will be revisited as Inter Miami has two more matches to play in the next week.
Before the second leg in Jamaica, Inter Miami hosts Charlotte FC in an MLS regular-season match at 4 p.m. ET on Sunday. So, there’s two more chances for Messi to either suit up or rest this week.
Messi predominately played in three matches during a six-day stretch from Feb. 19-26, and eight matches in a 40-day span from Jan. 18 to Feb. 14 when you include five preseason matches played in Las Vegas, Peru, Panama, Honduras and Tampa Bay, Florida.
Messi has not played since Feb. 25 when Inter Miami dispatched Sporting Kansas City in the first round of the Champions Cup. He did not travel to Houston to play against the Dynamo last Sunday, a match Inter Miami won 4-1.
However, Messi’s presence was clearly missed as Cavalier pressed Inter Miami with speed on both sides of the field.
Cavalier owned a 3-1 advantage in shots taken after the first half, which Inter Miami flipped 10-6 in their favor by the end of the match.
Cavalier striker Jalmaro Calvin missed a flying attempt in the 28th minute, his left boot grazing the outside of the right post after a cross from the other side of the field.
Calvin nearly scored in the 33rd minute, when his kick was deflected by Inter Miami defender David Martinez and nearly sneaked past goalie Oscar Ustari.
Just before halftime, Cavalier forward Shaquille Stein appeared to score following a corner kick. Stein and his teammates celebrated down the field until they reached the bench and hugged coach Rudolph Speid.
The celebration lasted about five minutes, but was short-lived and eventually overturned due to an offside call following a lengthy VAR check.
At the end of the night, it was Inter Miami celebrating.
Inter Miami vs. Cavalier FC highlights
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What time is Inter Miami vs. Cavalier FC match?
The match begins at 8 p.m. ET (9 p.m. in Argentina).
How to watch Inter Miami vs. Cavalier FC match on TV?
The match will be available to watch on FS2 in English and ViX in Spanish.
Is Messi playing tonight?
No, Messi will not play in Inter Miami’s match against Jamaica’s Cavalier FC. He was not listed in Inter Miami’s starting lineup before the match.
What to know about Cavalier FC?
Cavalier FC is playing in the Champions Cup tournament for the second time in as many years. They qualified directly into the round of 16 by winning the Concacaf Caribbean Cup in December.
The matchup against Inter Miami will be the second time Cavalier has faced MLS competition. Cavalier lost to FC Cincinnati by scores of 2-0 and 4-0 in the first round last year.
Cavalier FC coach and sporting director Rudolph Speid said Wednesday: “We’re really looking forward to doing well. I think it will inspire a generation of players in Jamaica itself, just because of what will happen. We’ll play them here. Everybody will be watching on TV. And, also in the return leg where we expect a packed stadium, and everybody just talking about the game. That inspiration is much more for the country than just our team.”
Messi’s upcoming schedule with Inter Miami, Argentina
Messi could play in the following six matches with Inter Miami and the Argentina national team later this month:
