Major League Soccer clubs Inter Miami, Nashville, and Philadelphia advanced to the 2023 Leagues Cup semifinals as did Liga MX's Monterrey.
MLS advances three teams to the 2023 Leagues Cup semifinals
Friday’s Leagues Cup quarterfinal schedule started with Inter Miami beating Charlotte 4-0 at home. Josef Martinez converted a 12th minute penalty, Robert Taylor doubled the lead in the 32nd, and an own-goal made it 3-0 Miami in the 78th. Lionel Messi added a fourth Inter Miami goal in the 86th and goalkeeper Drake Callender made two saves for the shutout.
Nashville shutout Minnesota 5-0 at home, playing a man up from a 34th minute red card to United’s DJ Taylor. Shaq Moore started the scoring for Nashville in the 39th and Teal Bunbury added a goal in the 44th. Nashville’s Alex Muyl scored in the 50th, Sam Surridge extended the lead in the 53rd, and Hany Mukhtar made it 5-0 Nashville in the 59th. Nashville goalkeeper Elliot Panicco kept the clean sheet with three saves.
Philadelphia beat Queretaro 2-1 at home, taking the lead from a 10th minute Jesus Bueno goal. Queretaro’s Angel Sepulveda equalized in the 65th. Queretaro went a man down seven minutes into stoppage time when Omar Mendoza saw red. Chris Donovan scored the Union’s winner ten minutes into stoppage time. Philadelphia hosts Inter Miami in Tuesday’s semifinal.
Monterrey beat LAFC 3-2 at the Rose Bowl, with LAFC taking the lead from a 2nd minute Denis Bouanga penalty. Mateurz Bogusz made it 2-0 LAFC in the 42nd. Monterrey’s Sergio Canales converted a penalty in the 68th and 80th minute own-goal leveled the score. Rogelio Funes Mori scored for Monterrey in the 88th minute. Monterrey plays Nashville in Tuesday’s other semifinal, with that game at GEODIS Park.
“It’s been a while since I’ve felt a match this passionate,” Monterrey coach Fernando Ortiz said. “I have a tremendous team and they understood that since minute zero. For the 90 minutes it was a team that just wanted to win the game. Sometimes this happens in soccer where things don’t go your way but we kept playing with our ideas and push. It’s beautiful.”
