Cavalier SC delivered a resilient performance but ultimately fell 2-0 to Inter Miami CF in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup at DRV PNK Stadium on Thursday night. The Jamaican Premier League side put up a valiant fight, including having a first-half goal controversially disallowed by VAR, but were undone by second-half strikes from Tadeo Allende and Luis Suárez, while Lionel Messi watched from the stands.

The visitors, undaunted by the star-studded opposition, had a promising start and created early chances, with Dwayne Atkinson and Jalmaro Calvin both coming close. Cavalier’s defensive unit, led by Richard King, held firm against early threats from Luis Suárez and Tadeo Allende, frustrating the home side.

However, the pivotal moment of the first half arrived in stoppage time, when Shaquille Stein found the back of the net for Cavalier, sending the Jamaican contingent into wild celebrations. But their joy was short-lived as VAR intervened and ruled the goal out for offside, leaving the score locked at 0-0 at halftime.

Buoyed by the decision, Inter Miami came out firing in the second half, and their persistence paid off in the 61st minute when Tadeo Allende broke the deadlock, finishing off a well-worked move assisted by Sergio Busquets following a corner.

Cavalier pushed forward in search of an equalizer but were unable to capitalize on their attacking forays. Their best chance came from Shaquille Stein, who forced a fine save from Inter Miami’s goalkeeper, but it wasn’t enough to turn the tide.

As Cavalier grew more desperate, Luis Suárez put the result beyond doubt in the 83rd minute, capitalizing on a defensive lapse to slot home past Vino Barclett, giving Inter Miami a commanding 2-0 lead.

Despite the loss, Cavalier showed resilience and will take confidence from their performance, especially with the return leg set for Kingston’s National Stadium on March 13. The Jamaican side will need a big performance on home soil to overturn the deficit and keep their CONCACAF Champions Cup dreams alive.

With Messi watching from the stands, Inter Miami secured the win without their talisman on the pitch, but Cavalier will hope for a different outcome in the second leg in front of their home crowd.

Photo: AP