Vancouver, Apr 26 (V7N)- Inter Miami suffered a disappointing 2-0 defeat against Vancouver Whitecaps in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup semi-finals, with stars Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, and Sergio Busquets failing to make an impact.

The match kicked off with Vancouver pressing hard from the outset. Their persistence paid off in the 24th minute when Brian White headed in a cross from Pedro Vite, giving the hosts an early lead. Despite efforts from Inter Miami to regain control, Vancouver maintained their momentum and went into the break leading 1-0.

In the second half, Inter Miami showed more urgency. They created several chances, but their front line could not find the back of the net. A critical moment came in the 67th minute when Luis Suárez failed to convert a well-placed cross from Jordi Alba. Just four minutes later, Messi also missed a golden opportunity to equalize.

Vancouver capitalized on Miami’s wasted chances and sealed their win in the 85th minute, when Sebastian Berhalter doubled the lead with a composed finish off an assist from Jayden Nelson.

The return leg will be held on Thursday, May 1, with kickoff scheduled for 6:00 AM Bangladesh time. Inter Miami now face an uphill battle as they look to overturn the two-goal deficit and keep their Champions Cup hopes alive.

END/MSS/AJ