Fresh off their Inaugural Leagues Cup triumph on Saturday night, Inter Miami CF defeated FC Cincinnati 5-4 in penalty kicks following a dramatic 3-3 draw to advance to the 2023 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final in front of a sold-out crowd of 25,513 at TQL Stadium on Wednesday night.
With Inter Miami trailing 2-0 after the hour mark, reigning World Cup champion Lionel Messi twice connected with Leonardo Campana to force extra time. 2019 Open Cup champion Josef Martínez then slotted the Herons ahead 3-2 in the 93rd minute, only to have FC Cincinnati’s Yuya Kubo score a 114th minute equalizer to send the match to the penalty kick tie-breaker. In the shootout, Miami goalkeeper Drake Callender saved the fifth-round attempt from Cincinnati native Nick Hagglund, before Benjamin Cremaschi converted to send Inter Miami to its first U.S. Open Cup Final and second championship match of 2023.
With the result, Inter Miami will play the winner of Wednesday’s second semifinal between Houston Dynamo/Real Salt Lake in the Open Cup Final on Sept. 27 as the club looks to claim its second trophy of the year.
Messi put on his hero's cape in the second half, with his magical left foot the architect of Leonardo Campana’s two headed goals that forced extra time. The Ecuadorian powered in a free-kick service (68’) and dunked home a looping cross at the death (90+7’) to silence the TQL Stadium crowd.
Miami thought they had a winner in the first extra frame, when Josef Martínez (93') launched his shot past goalkeeper Alec Kann after Cremaschi helped flip a turnover into quick-strike offense. But Cincy substitute Yuya Kubo (114') punched back as full-time loomed, curling home an equalizer that gave the home side hope.
Messi made Miami’s first attempt in the shootout, and both teams were perfect through four rounds. Herons goalkeeper Drake Callender saved Nick Hagglund’s kick in the fifth round, and Benjamin Cremaschi made his PK to send Miami to another tournament final.
Miami advanced to face the winner of Wednesday’s late semifinal between Houston and Salt Lake in the final on Sept. 27.
Messi and Inter Miami's seven-game run during the Leagues Cup was impressive to say the least, especially for a team that came together so quickly on the fly with his addition.
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