Inter Miami secured a spot in the Leagues Cup semifinals this Friday by defeating Charlotte FC 4-0, with Leo Messi netting the final goal of the Florida club’s victory. The win came as a relief for Argentine manager Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino, who could watch most of the match without facing questions about his lineup. The Pink and Black side will now clash with the Philadelphia Union to determine who advances to the Leagues Cup final. The squad highlighted a single tactical tweak in the starting eleven, introducing Benjamín Cremaschi, a rising star who helped fuel the comeback in Dallas and earned the title at the expense of Paraguayan Diego Gómez.
Inter Miami pressed high and controlled the pace, presenting a confident counterattack against a Charlotte side that struggled to impose itself. Solid work from Sergio Busquets was a key factor in the team’s stability, reinforcing the defensive and midfield balance as the game unfolded.
The match began with a tense opening as Charlotte pressed early, forcing a sequence that included a handball and a controversial moment when Dixon Arroyo drew attention from Harrison Afful. Venezuelan forward Josef Martínez converted a penalty after a controversial call, placing the score at 1-0 and marking Martínez’s second Leagues Cup goal from the penalty spot. Croatian goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina was beaten as the ball slid into the net.
From the 20th minute onward, Charlotte found more control in possession under Italian coach Christian Lattanzio, steadily building attacks while Inter Miami managed to keep Drake Callender untroubled at the other end. The home side’s concern grew as Inter Miami pressed higher, and in the 32nd minute DeAndre Yedlin delivered a long ball from the right that found Robert Taylor in space, cutting inside to score what would become the team’s second goal. That strike underscored Taylor’s rising impact since Messi’s arrival, as he had previously found the net only twice across 19 MLS appearances.
By halftime, the flow of play somewhat matched the scoreboard: Charlotte’s approach was cautious and focused on compact defending, while Miami kept the ball with relative ease. Charlotte made changes at the break, bringing on Brecht Dejaeghere and Patrick Agyemang in an attempt to spark things up top. The tactical shift yielded a rare first attempt on goal for the visitors in the 54th minute, which Callender handled calmly.
Messi’s first clear opportunity arrived later in the match after a well-worked sequence that culminated in a 68th-minute attempt from Taylor that hit a defender before going out for a corner. The third goal came soon after when Diego Gómez, just subbed on, released a cross that Ecuadorian Leonardo Campana touched into the box before a French defender intervened; the ball bounced to an own goal by Adilson Malanda, sealing a comfortable lead.
Inter Miami’s evening reached a flourish in the 86th minute as Messi finished off a quick counter. Campana’s run and a precise pass found Messi’s left foot, allowing him to slot past the goalkeeper for a fourth goal. The Argentine star’s performance in this fixture added to his growing tally against Inter Miami, as he extended his goal streak to eight in five matches against the club.
Even as Charlotte looked brighter at times, Inter Miami remained in control, experimenting with formations and positions, including Jordi Alba briefly shifting to a winger role to test the visitors’ defense and keep them off balance.
match summary
4 Inter Miami: Callender; Yedlin, Krivtsov, Miller, Alba; Busquets, Arroyo (Ulloa, m.89), Cremaschi (Ruiz, m.72); Messi, Martínez (Campana, m.60) and Taylor (Gómez, m.71).
0 Charlotte FC: Khalina; Lindsey, Malanda, Privett, Afful (Cambridge, art. 83); Westwood, Bender (Vargas, m.64), Arfield (Agyemang, m.46), Bronico, Józwiak (DeJaegere, m.46); Świderski.
scorers: 1-0, 12′ Josef Martínez (penalty). 2-0, 32′ Robert Taylor. 3-0, 78′ Malanda (own goal). 4-0, 86′ Messi.
referee: Ismail Elfath (USA). He cautioned Kamal Miller (64) for the home side, Brecht Dejaeghere (63) and Ashley Westwood (91) for Charlotte.
attendance: approximately 20,000 at DRV PNK Stadium for the Leagues Cup quarter-final.
Philadelphia eliminated Querétaro
The Philadelphia Union brushed past Mexico’s Querétaro 2-1, earning a place in the Leagues Cup semifinals where they will meet Inter Miami. Jesús Bueno and Ángel Sepúlveda scored for the Union, while Chris Donovan struck late to secure the win, as the team is led by Argentine coach Mauro Gerk.