FORT LAUDERDALE, FL – Luis Suárez scored two penalty kicks for Inter Miami, after Tigres UANL defender Javier Aquino was penalized for a handball in the penalty area on two separate occasions.
Tigres forward Iván López nearly tied the match in the final minutes, but his header hit the right post, bounced along the line to hit the left post, and diverted back into play.
Somehow, those instances don’t even measure up to the wildest thing that happened in Inter Miami’s 2-1 win over Tigres in their Leagues Cup quarterfinal match on Wednesday, Aug. 20.
Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano provided one of the quirkiest moments of the Lionel Messi era in Major League Soccer, watching and coaching from the stands above his bench in the first row of Section 101 inside Chase Stadium after being ejected. He was given a red card after arguing with referees about the first half ending past allotted stoppage time.
“We came out for the second half, and Javier was told he had been sent off,” Inter Miami assistant Javier Morales said in the postgame press conference.
Messi was not in action, dealing with a nagging right hamstring injury he reaggravated during a 3-1 win in a regular-season match against the L.A. Galaxy on Aug. 16. Messi watched Wednesday’s game from an on-field suite, one level below Mascherano in the stands.
Mascherano was even seen on the Apple TV broadcast talking on his iPhone in the 57th minute, seemingly to assistant coach Lucas Rodriguez Pagano on the field while fellow assistant Leandro Stillitano led the club on the sidelines.
“Tell me one time you’ve seen that,” Apple TV commentator Taylor Twellman said to play-by-play announcer Jake Zivin during the broadcast. “How’s that any different than him being on the bench?”
“He’s certainly within earshot of everybody,” Zivin said lightheartedly.
A Leagues Cup spokesperson told USA TODAY Sports after the match that cellphone communications are not prohibited, and Mascherano was seated in a space designated in accordance with tournament regulations.
While the rule implies Mascherano was allowed to coach through his phone, his actions will likely be reviewed by the Leagues Cup Disciplinary Committee.
“To be honest, a lot of things happened there,” Morales said.
Mascherano was not available to speak to the media after the match due to the red card. He will also be suspended for Inter Miami’s match in the Leagues Cup semifinals against Orlando City on either Aug. 26 or 27. The next time Mascherano will speak to the media is Aug. 22, one day before Inter Miami travels to face D.C. United in an MLS match.
It was a scene that would make former New York Mets manager Bobby Valentine proud. Valentine infamously returned to the Mets’ dugout in disguise, sporting a mustache, after being ejected during a game on June 9, 1999.
Mascherano was concerned because starting left back Jordi Alba suffered a right knee injury, and Inter Miami tried to finish the first half without making a substitution. Alba lingered on the sidelines before briefly reentering the match for the final minutes of stoppage time.
Alba then left the match after trying to start the second half, as Mascherano found his way to his seat in the stands.
“The referees added four minutes, and we ended up playing like six minutes or something like that. So, we argued about the time,” Morales said. “You’re human. You start to talk. The referee said Javier (Mascherano) had the red card, and that’s it. We didn’t have much information. We were complaining about the time.”
Suárez scored a penalty in the 23rd minute, then sealed the victory with another penalty kick in the 89th minute. Aquino was penalized for a handball just minutes prior to both goals by Inter Miami’s Uruguayan star.
“They were two unfortunate plays where the ball hit his hand,” Tigres coach Guido Pizarro said of the handballs.
Added the 38-year-old Suárez: “I’m old enough to take on this kind of challenge, and I’m trying to help the team.”
Tigres tied the match at 1 when Ángel Correa, Messi’s Argentine World Cup champion teammate, scored in the 67th minute. López nearly sent the match to a penalty shootout with his borderline goal in the 91st minute.
“It was wild,” Morales said. “At the end of the day, we found a way to keep fighting and win the game.”
When the final whistle blew, Mascherano walked behind a police officer from his seat. He pumped his fist to celebrate with fans sitting behind him, then walked down the stairs among other fans leaving the stands.
Maybe, Mascherano will keep the same seat for next week’s Leagues Cup semifinal.
This story has been updated with new information.