Inter Miami help up its end of the bargain.
Lionel Messi was integral in Miami’s penalty kick shootout win over FC Cincinnati, assisting Leonardo Campana twice, including a beautiful ball in the 97th minute to force a 2-2 tie in the dying moments of regulation.
Following a goal from both sides in overtime, Miami emerged victorious from the penalty kick shootout, 5-4, to advance to the U.S. Open Cup final.
With Miami’s win, Real Salt Lake needed to beat the Houston Dynamo to host Messi and Miami in the U.S. Open Cup final in Sandy in September.
The Dynamo spoiled any plans of Messi-mania coming to Utah this year — RSL doesn’t face Miami in regular-season MLS play for the rest 2023 — with a 3-1 overtime win.
Houston’s Héctor Herrera opened scoring five minutes into first-half stoppage time, but RSL tied the game in the 64th minute on an Anderson Julio header.
It remained tied after regulation, making it the second semifinal of the day to require overtime.
Houston, which controlled possession most of the game, broke through in overtime, as Adalberto Carrasquilla ran through Real’s defense to score the go-ahead goal just a minute before the overtime break.
Luís Caicedo’s 120th minute goal was icing on the cake for the Dynamo, especially after RSL’s Brayan Vera drew a red card in the 116th minute for throwing Amine Bassi to the ground following a confrontation.