Inter Miami CF Triumphs Over Sporting Kansas City in Frigid Concacaf Champions Cup Opener
By Lizzy Becherano
Updated: Feb 19, 2025, 10:15 pm
In a thrilling start to their 2025 campaign, Inter Miami CF secured a 1-0 victory against Sporting Kansas City in the first leg of the first round of the Concacaf Champions Cup. The match took place at Children’s Mercy Park, where the weather was as much a player as anyone on the field.
Originally scheduled for Tuesday, the game was postponed by 24 hours due to a winter storm that blanketed Kansas City in heavy snow. Even with the delay, players faced bone-chilling conditions, with temperatures plummeting to three degrees Fahrenheit and a “real feel” of negative eight by halftime. Despite the frigid weather, the match went on, and fans were treated to a spectacle.
Enter Lionel Messi, the maestro who never fails to deliver moments of magic. In the second half, Messi found the back of the net, thanks to a brilliant assist from his longtime teammate Sergio Busquets. Busquets delivered a perfectly weighted ball into the box, which Messi expertly controlled before outmaneuvering his defender and slotting the ball into the opposite corner. It was a classic Messi moment that left fans in awe and gave Inter Miami the lead.
The rest of the match was a back-and-forth affair, with both teams creating opportunities. Sporting KC managed seven shots, while Miami took nine, but neither side could find the net again. The game was a testament to the resilience and skill of both teams, battling not just each other but the harsh elements as well.
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Inter Miami entered the match without Jordi Alba, who was serving a suspension from a red card received in the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinal against CF Monterrey. Additionally, first-choice goalkeeper Drake Callender was sidelined due to injury. Despite these setbacks, the team managed to secure a crucial victory and an important away goal, which could be pivotal in the series.
According to Concacaf rules, if aggregate goals are equal, the away goals rule is applied as the first tiebreaker. This means that Miami’s away goal could be the deciding factor if the aggregate score is tied after the second leg.
Looking ahead, Kansas City faces a challenging task. They will need to score at least two goals at Chase Stadium to advance to the next round in regulation time. The second leg is set to take place in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Feb. 25, where the weather will likely be much more forgiving.
- Inter Miami CF: 1
- Sporting Kansas City: 0
- Shots: Miami 9, Kansas City 7
- Temperature: 3°F, “Real Feel” -8°F
As the teams prepare for the next leg, fans are eagerly anticipating another exciting encounter. Will Messi and his teammates continue their winning ways, or can Sporting KC turn the tide on home soil? Only time will tell, but one thing is certain: the Concacaf Champions Cup is off to a thrilling start.
Originally Written by: ESPN
