PSV and Panathinaikos advanced to the UEFA Champions League play-off round and Nashville will host Inter Miami in the Leagues Cup final.
PSV and Panathinaikos advance in Champions League, Inter Miami and Nashville in Leagues Cup
Wednesday’s soccer news starts with USMNT players in the second-legs of 2023-24 UEFA Champions League third round qualifying. Ricardo Pepi subbed on at halftime of PSV’s 3-1 win at Sturm Graz, advancing 7-2 on aggregate. Trailing from the 26th minute, Joey Veerman equalized on the night for PSV in the 32nd and Luuke de Jong scored in the 39th. Pepi converted a PSV penalty in the 85th minute. Malik Tillman wasn’t in the squad for PSV, who advances to play Rangers in the league path of the Champions League playoff round on August 22 and 30.
“Our goal was to qualify for international competition next season and we’ve done that tonight,” Inter Miami coach Tata Martino said. “This most important thing was achieving qualification for Concacaf Champions Cup, and now we have to prepare to win this tournament, which has us feeling very motivated and confident.
Erik Palmer-Brown was on the bench for Panathinaikos’s 2-1 loss at Marseille, drawing 2-2 on aggregate and advancing 5-3 on penalties. Marseille went ahead from goals i the 2nd and a minute into first-half stoppage time. Fotis Ioannidis converted a Panathinaikos penalty nine minutes into stoppage time to send the game to extra time. Marseille failed to convert in the 1st round of penalties while Panathinaikos went five for five from the spot. Panathinaikos will play Braga in the league path of the Champions League play-off round with that series set for August 23 and 29.
Moving to Leagues Cup, Inter Miami advanced with a 4-1 win at Philadelphia. Inter Miami took the lead in the 3rd minute from a Josef Martinez goal, Lionel Messi made it 2-0 in the 20th, and Jordi Alba scored three minutes into first-half stoppage time. Alejandro Bedoya scored for the Union in the 73rd but David Ruiz scored Miami’s fourth goal in the 84th minute.
Nashville took the other final spot with a 2-0 win over Monterrey at GEODIS Park where they will host the title game on August 19. Sam Surridge opened the scoring in the 67th and Fafa Picualt doubled the lead six minutes into stoppage time. Nashville goalkeeper Elliot Panicco kept the clean sheet with three saves.
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