By Miguel Rapetti
03 Aug 2024, 23:45 PM EDT
The Tigres of the UANL in Liga MX defeated Inter Miami of the MLS 2-1 this Saturday to secure first place in Group 3 of the Leagues Cup, in a match played at NRG Stadium in Texas.
In the last round of the group, Argentine Juan Brunetta and Mexican Juan Pablo Vigón scored for the felines, who remained at the top of the East 3 with six points; Ecuadorian Leonardo Campana scored for Miami, which has not yet recovered the injured Lionel Messi.
Miami was second in the group with three points and Puebla was eliminated after saying goodbye with two losses in the competition that pits all the teams in the Mexican league against all those in the MLS.
The first half was even between the teams, both with two shots on goal, however Tigres had better aim when in the 18th minute Brunetta played a one-two with his compatriot Nicolás Ibáñez that Juan volleyed home to make it 1-0.
The tie continued in the second half and now the goalkeepers took the lead. In the 58th minute, American Drake Callender blocked a header from Colombian Luis Quiñones in the 52nd minute, after which Miami tied the score.
Guido Pizarro committed a penalty on Campana, which the Ecuadorian converted to make it 1-1 in the 74th minute.
Campana returned to the attack in the 76th minute, but it was now the Argentine Nahuel Guzmán, Tigres’ goalkeeper, who prevented Inter from scoring the lead and opened the door for Vigón, with a right foot strike in the 84th minute, to seal the match 2-1.
For this match, the Argentine Gerardo Martino, Miami’s coach, counted on only one of his main figures from the start, the Spaniard Jordi Alba, while the Iberian Sergio Busquets came on as a substitute in the 69th minute and the Uruguayan Luis Suárez was not called up because, like Messi, he is still suffering from physical problems.
Tigres and Inter will face either Tuzos del Pachuca from Mexico or Toronto FC from Canada in the next round, who will meet this Sunday to decide first and second place in Group East 6.
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