Inter Miami CF have a monumental task on their hands against Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Wednesday night.
After losing the first leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup semifinal 2–0 in Vancouver, the Herons will need to score at least three goals to advance to their first continental final. Should Vancouver score once, Miami would need to score four–– something they’ve done only once this season.
Head coach Javier Mascherano rested many of the key players in Saturday’s 4–3 loss to FC Dallas, leaving Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba out of the squad, while also resting starting goalkeeper Oscar Ustari, making sure they are all in peak form for Wednesday.
Miami got their comeback against LAFC after losing the first leg of the quarterfinal. Can they do it again against the MLS-leading Whitecaps?
Here’s how they’ll have to do it.
La Remontada: Episode Two
Mascherano and his four former FC Barcelona superstars know a thing or two about Champions League comebacks. Back in 2017, all were involved in Barcelona’s 6–1 win over Paris Saint-Germain to overturn a 4–0 deficit from the first game. Messi and Suarez both scored in that match, which still ranks as one of the best ever in the Catalan club’s storied history.
While Miami don’t need to overturn such a deficit, moments of brilliance from Messi and their best players will be critical. The Whitecaps showed that they will clog the midfield and force Miami to win challenges and second balls, a trait few other teams have shown in MLS this season.
