Hosts Inter Miami CF II scored four second-half goals to rally past its lower division foe in a 4-2 US Open Cup First Round win over visiting Miami United at Chase Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
First Half: Miami United Strikes First
Miami United of the UPSL wasted no time in pressing forward against their MLS NEXT Pro hosts with Diego Morales firing a right-footed shot in the third minute, only to be denied by Inter Miami CF II goalkeeper Matias Marin. The home side responded quickly, as Sebastian D’Angelo, Miami United’s goalkeeper, was called into action in the sixth minute, making a crucial save to keep the match scoreless.
After an exciting opening five minutes, the tempo of the game slowed, with young Herons struggling to find attacking clarity in the final third. The breakthrough finally came in the 35th minute, when a careless foul by Bailey Spark of Inter Miami CF II set up a free kick opportunity for Santiago Frean. Frean made no mistake, curling his shot past Marin to give Miami United a 1-0 lead heading into halftime.
Second Half: Inter Miami CF II Roars Back
Inter Miami CF II came out strong in the second half, determined to turn the match around. The aggressive start paid off in the 49th minute, when Idoh Zelzter-Zubida unleashed a thunderous right-footed strike, blasting the ball past D’Angelo to level the score at 1-1.
Miami United continued to push forward and thought they had restored their lead, but a controversial offside call denied them a goal. The momentum shifted after this disallowed goal, and hosts in pink took full advantage.
Within minutes, the Herons struck twice in quick succession, with Mateo Saja (65th minute) and Yuval Cohen (70th minute) finding the back of the net, putting the home side up 3-1. The Miami United fans were furious, as the referees continued to make questionable offside calls and overlooked what appeared to be a clear penalty for the visitors.
In the 82nd minute, Cohen secured his brace, slotting home his second goal of the night to extend the lead to 4-1.
Miami United’s Late Fightback Falls Short
Despite the deficit, Miami United refused to back down. In the closing minutes, Sebastian Luzuriaga managed to slip one past Marin, giving the visitors a consolation goal and making the score 4-2.
Final Thoughts
Though Inter Miami CF II secured the victory, Miami United showed tremendous heart and resilience, battling fiercely across the 90 minutes. Controversial officiating decisions played a role, frustrating the visitors, but Inter Miami’s second-half dominance proved decisive.
With the 4-2 victory, Inter Miami CF II advances to the next round of the U.S. Open Cup, while Miami United exits the tournament, despite putting up a strong fight. The magic of the U.S. Open Cup is alive and well, and this match was a perfect example of its unpredictable drama.
Inter Miami CF II goalkeeper, Matias Marin, said about the win, “It was a very important game for us. We want the glory and to get to the top, so we are very happy to start with this win at home.”