Suárez’s Brace Sends Miami Through in Dramatic Finish

Inter Miami, playing without Lionel Messi, showed resilience and poise to edge Tigres 2–1 in a tense Leagues Cup quarterfinal, thanks to Luis Suárez’s late heroics. The Uruguayan striker shouldered the responsibility and delivered both goals in a performance that earned him a stellar 9.1 rating.
The Herons struck first in the 23rd minute after Telasco Segovia’s cross clipped the arm of Javier Aquino inside the box. Despite Tigres’ protests, the referee pointed to the spot, and Suárez calmly converted to give Miami the lead. Mascherano’s aggressive game plan suffocated Tigres throughout the first half, but the match turned chaotic just before the break when the Miami coach was ejected for protesting stoppage time, and Jordi Alba suffered a knee injury that forced him off early in the second half.
Tigres clawed their way back in the 67th minute through Ángel Correa, who burst past Miami’s back line and finished with precision to level the match. The momentum shifted, and the Liga MX side appeared poised for a late push.
Yet in the closing stages, fate swung Miami’s way again. With five minutes left in regulation, another Aquino handball was confirmed by VAR, setting up Suárez for his second penalty of the night. Once again, the veteran forward dispatched the spot-kick with confidence, restoring Miami’s advantage. Tigres nearly equalized in stoppage time when Iván Lopéz’s header rattled both posts before falling safely into Óscar Ustari’s hands, sealing Miami’s dramatic victory.
Now bound for the semifinals, Inter Miami will continue their Leagues Cup journey with Suárez firmly at the center, proving that even without Messi, the Herons still have a finisher who thrives under pressure.

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