Having secured a coveted knockout stage place, Inter Miami continue their push for a second Leagues Cup title as they face Tigres UANL in the quarterfinals of the 2025 competition.
Lionel Messi led the Herons to their first-ever trophy two years ago in the first edition of the new expanded Leagues Cup. This time around, they have to press on without their talisman, as he is suffering from a nagging muscle injury and may not be involved.
Luis Suarez has branded this match, and all the rest they may play in the Leagues Cup, as a "final" because "there's no going back," a nod to the elimination environment they now face.
Tigres, meanwhile, are one of the four Liga MX participants in the knockout stage, hoping to become the first Mexican club to win this competition in the third year of its existence. Mexican clubs have struggled in this competition, with the entire semifinals last season consisting of MLS clubs. Liga MX has often stated they feel the format is stacked against them, but could prove they belong here.
The Sporting News is following the Inter Miami vs. Tigres match live, providing score updates, commentary, and analysis.
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Inter Miami vs. Tigres score
Score (HT) Goal scorers Inter Miami 1 Suarez (24' pen) Tigres 0Location: Chase Stadium (Ft. Lauderdale, FL)
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Starting lineups:
Inter Miami (4-2-3-1, right to left): 19. Ustari (GK) 17. Fray, 2. Lujan, 37. Falcon, 18. Alba 7. De Paul, 5. Busquets 8. Segovia, 21. Allende, 42. Bright 9. Suarez.
Tigres (4-5-1, right to left): 1. Guzman (GK) 20. Aquino, 23. Romulo, 4. Purata, 14. Garza 16. Lainez, 11. Brunetta, 7. Correa, 8. Gorriaran, 77. Herrera 9. Ibanez.
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Inter Miami vs. Tigres live updates, highlights from Leagues Cup
HALFTIME: Inter Miami 1-0 Tigres
The Herons go into the break with the lead, and they've absolutely deserved it. In fact, they probably will be disappointed to not be up by more, knowing the match is still very much in the balance as it stands. They've been exceptional at the back, taking the ball off the Tigres attackers in just about every move forward.
The only issue for Inter Miami right now is an injury to Jordi Alba just before halftime when his teammate Telasco Segovia stepped on his ankle. It left him wincing in pain while he got treatment. We'll see if Alba can shake it off at halftime or needs to be replaced coming out of the break.
39th min: The first real chance for Tigres comes on a shot from distance by Angel Correa, but it flashes wide of goal past a diving Oscar Ustari. The Liga MX side has largely been quiet in the attacking third.
28th min: Chance, Inter Miami! WHAT a brilliant tackle from Tigres defender Juan Purata who comes flying in to deny Tadeo Allende at the last possible moment! Allende appeared through on goal until Purata denied him out of nowhere!
20th min: Penalty, Inter Miami! The hosts have a chance to take the lead after a handball is called on Javier Aquino! It's highly contentious, as he slid to block a cross and has the ball hit his left arm.
While the rule states a player's support arm on a slide counts as a natural position, Aquino's arm is very outstretched back behind him. There's a LONG review for VAR to determine what to do here...and the penalty STANDS!
Stepping up is Luis Suarez...GOAL! INTER MIAMI! He buries it from the spot! The goalkeeper guessed correctly, but the effort is too good to keep out!
14th min: This match has been a bit dull so far, as both teams seem to cancel each other out in midfield. Inter Miami had one half-chance on a bad Tigres giveaway, but Jordi Alba's pass to Tadeo Allende was just out of reach. Otherwise, there's been very little to this point.
4th min: There's a very early yellow card for Telasco Sevogia for a really bad stamp late on the right flank. That's a problem for Inter Miami as they need Segovia to have a strong match with Lionel Messi out.
Kickoff: They're under way at Chase Stadium! Can Inter Miami survive without Lionel Messi, or will they be undermanned in his absence?
Inter Miami vs. Tigres: Pre-match commentary, analysis, more
15 mins to kick: Tonight is going to present an all-time kit matchup. Inter Miami will be in their home pink, while Tigres don their bright yellow and blue kits. Both threads are gorgeous, but when they come together, WOW do they clash. It will be easy to tell the two teams apart, that's for sure, although we might be blinded in the process.
30 mins to kick: The Tigres lineup is now available, and there's just one alteration from the expectation. Club legend Andres-Pierre Gignac, now 39 years old and wearing down, is not in the starting lineup. He has not started any of the club's four league games this Apertura, earning his first spot in the XI for the club's league phase defeat to LAFC, hooked at halftime. Instead, it's Nicolas Ibanez who gets the nod up front.
45 mins to kick: Finally, we have confirmation that Lionel Messi is out tonight, as Inter Miami release their squad and he does not appear. There are two other curiosities from Javier Mascherano, as Yannick Bright and Ian Fray are brought into the side, replacing Marcelo Weigandt and Fafa Picault.
1 hour to kickoff: We're still waiting for lineups to be released, but Lionel Messi appears to be in street clothes while the rest of his teammates arrived in Inter Miami apparel. He's almost surely out tonight.
1 hour 15 mins to kick: We will find out soon if Lionel Messi will play in this match, but we at least know he's at Chase Stadium! He has recently arrived at the venue for tonight's match.
1 hour 30 mins to kick: Inter Miami are looking for revenge in this match, as they were beaten by Tigres in last year's Leagues Cup group stage. The match finished 2-1, with Tigres playmaker Juan Brunetta scoring a stunning opener just 11 minutes in. What touch!
1 hour 45 mins to kick: Inter Miami have made a number of moves this summer. Some, like the arrival of Rodrigo de Paul, were highly publicized, but the corresponding move made much less noise. Inter Miami offloaded midfielder Federico Redondo, the son of former Real Madrid and AC Milan star Fernando Redondo, to Spanish side Elche just days ago.
The move brought Inter Miami just �2 million, a paltry sum given he arrived at the MLS club with high hopes and has become a regular in the side over the last year-plus. Elche are owned by Christian Bragarnik, a former Argentine player himself and head of the agency Score, which represents Redondo. Interesting at best, shady at worst.
2 hours to kickoff: There are serious doubts about Lionel Messi's participation in this match. Having only just returned from a "minor" hamstring injury in their recent MLS victory, Messi was seen bolting down the tunnel immediately after the full-time whistle, which raised eyebrows. Then, he missed training on Tuesday, and Javier Mascherano explained that he has felt "discomfort" and thus trained alone.
While Mascherano would not rule Messi out of participation tonight, it certainly feels unlikely that he will take part. It's the next in a long line of muscle injuries that the 38-year-old has wrestled with since joining Inter Miami.
Inter Miami vs. Tigres kick off time
This Leagues Cup quarterfinal match kicks off from Chase Stadium on Wednesday, August 20 at 8 p.m. local time in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Here's how that time translates across some of the major territories around the globe:
Date Kickoff time USA/Canada Wed, Aug. 20 8 p.m. ET USA/Canada Wed, Aug. 20 5 p.m. PT UK Thu, Aug. 21 1 a.m. BST Australia Thu, Aug. 21 10 a.m. AEST India Thu, Aug. 21 5:30 a.m. ISTInter Miami vs. Tigres lineups, team news
Inter Miami appeared to be fully fit squad for maybe the first time in Lionel Messi's entire Herons career...until the talisman went down. Again. Messi was not at Inter Miami training on Tuesday, which raised alarm bells, and Javier Mascherano confirmed that he felt "discomfort" and trained away from the group. He was not initially ruled out, but indeed does not appear in the matchday squad indicating he will miss the game.
The Argentine legend returned from a hamstring injury in their recent league win over the LA Galaxy, entering off the bench for the full second half, but maybe came back too soon. Tadeo Allende, Telasco Segovia, and Fafa Picault should lead the line behind Luis Suarez.
Rodrigo de Paul also came off the bench in that Galaxy win, but should return to the lineup, replacing Benjamin Cremaschi who was chastised by head coach Javier Mascherano for comments to the media about his recent deployment.
Inter Miami starting lineup (4-2-3-1, right to left): Ustari (GK) Fray, Lujan, Falcon, Alba De Paul, Busquets Segovia, Allende, Bright Suarez.
Inter Miami subs: Rios (GK), Yarbrough, Weigandt, Sailor, Aviles, Allen, D. Ruiz, Cremaschi, Rodriguez, Morales, Picault, Obando.
Star winger Uriel Antuna has hardly played since the Apertura league season began, out with a knee injury that could keep him sidelined for this match as well.
Fellow Mexican international Jesus Angulo is expected to be back soon from his long-term knee injury over the summer, but it's likely still too soon for this game, and he will need a bit of ramp-up before he's fully match fit.
Andres-Pierre Gignac, now 39 years old and no longer an everyday starter, is left on the bench while Nicolas Ibanez gets the nod up front.
Tigres starting lineup (4-5-1): Guzman (GK) Aquino, Romulo, Purata, Garza Lainez, Brunetta, Correa, Gorriaran, Herrera Ibanez.
Tigres subs: Carrera (GK), C. Rodriguez (GK), Joaquim, Farfan, Guerrero, Parra, Pizzuto, Vigon, Cordova, I. Lopez, Flores, Gignac.
Inter Miami vs. Tigres live stream, TV channel
Here is how to watch the match in some of the world's major regions:
