On a warm and humid night at Chase Stadium, Miami FC’s experience and resilience proved decisive as they defeated a well-organized Inter Miami II side 1-0 in a tightly contested second-round matchup of the 2025 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.
An 84th minute goal by Francisco Bonfiglio delivered the win for Miami FC. Bonfiglio ended the evening tied for the tournament lead in goals with three.
It was a bit of revenge as Miami FC has been eliminated by the Inter Miami CF senior team (MLS) in two of the last three tournaments (2022, 2023). Now Miami has won back-to-back Open Cup games for the first time since 2018, and has defeated a pro team for the first time since 2017.
They advance to Round 3 which is scheduled for the week of April 15-16.
First Half: Tension, Shape, and Missed Chances
The match kicked off with energy, and Inter Miami II looked threatening early, nearly opening the score in the 3rd minute, only to see the goal waved off an offside call that Inter Miami II found disagreeable. The pink-clad youngsters kept pressing and came close again in the 11th minute, when Daniel Pinter’s header off a corner sailed just wide of the post.
Miami FC, dressed in all white, struggled to find rhythm in the larger dimensions of the Chase Stadium pitch, a stark contrast from their usual home field. Inter Miami II maintained excellent shape, pressing and covering space well, effectively shutting down Miami FC’s attack throughout the first half.
The best opportunity for the visitors came in the 32nd minute, when they broke on a dangerous 4-on-2 counterattack, but Inter Miami II goalkeeper Matías Marín made a huge save, keeping the score level.
The first half ended 0-0, with Inter Miami II showing discipline and energy, and Miami FC still searching for their breakthrough.
Second Half: Momentum Shifts and a Late Winner
Miami FC came out with renewed purpose after the break. Their first real chance came in the early minutes of the second half, when Mercado’s effort from outside the box flew over the bar.
Inter Miami II nearly responded just minutes later with a free kick opportunity just outside the 18, but Ben Hamid came up big, stopping Yuval Cohen’s shot to keep the match scoreless.
In the 61st minute, Miami FC came close yet again when Allen Gavilanes unleashed a powerful strike from inside the box, only to be denied by a brilliant reflex save from Marín, who continued to stand tall.
Over the next 20 minutes, Miami FC began to take control of the match, dominating possession and piling on pressure, particularly from a series of corner kicks.
Their persistence paid off in the 83rd minute, when Deian Verón whipped in a perfectly placed corner that found Francisco Bonfiglio, who delivered a clever flick into the net to give Miami FC the decisive 1-0 lead.
Closing Moments and Final Whistle
Inter Miami II fought back desperately in the closing minutes, pushing bodies forward and searching for an equalizer, but the Miami FC backline held firm. After several anxious moments in stoppage time, the referee’s whistle signaled full time, and Miami FC advanced to the next round with a hard-earned 1-0 win.
Final Thoughts
While Inter Miami II impressed with their organization and youthful energy, it was Miami FC’s experience, patience, and set-piece execution that made the difference. For Miami FC head coach Gaston Madoni, it was a welcome first win of the season.
“I told the guys that they deserved this win, especially with the challenging start to the season we have had!”
Matías Marín was a standout for Inter Miami II, keeping his team in the game with multiple key saves. But in the end, it was Francisco Bonfiglio’s late goal that sealed it, sending the visitors into the next round of the tournament.
The future looks bright for Inter Miami II, but on this night, it was Miami FC’s moment.
