Sporting Kansas City began their 2025 season with a challenging 1-0 home defeat against Inter Miami CF during the first leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup at Children’s Mercy Park. The significant moment came in the 56th minute when Lionel Messi scored, granting Miami a narrow advantage as they head into the crucial second leg scheduled for next Tuesday in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
The match marked the coldest opening in Sporting Kansas City’s history, with temperatures plunging to 5 degrees at kickoff. Manager Peter Vermes included two new starters in the lineup: 19-year-old Homegrown midfielder Jacob Bartlett and the recently signed Designated Player striker Dejan Joveljic, who switched to Kansas City from the LA Galaxy.
Sporting had a tough time against a Miami side that had excelled the previous year, winning the MLS Supporters’ Shield with a record-setting 74 points. The visitors quickly showcased their attacking threat, with Messi setting up Luis Suarez for a near miss in the early minutes. Miami continued to press, and Suarez missed another chance shortly after, narrowly curling a shot wide.
In the first half, Sporting Kansas City had their moments, including a promising free kick from Memo Rodriguez that required a save from Miami’s goalkeeper, Oscar Ustari. However, it was Inter Miami that took control in the second half, culminating in Messi’s decisive goal following a well-placed assist from Sergio Busquets.
Despite trailing, Sporting responded admirably and nearly equalized when Daniel Salloi broke free on a counter-attack but failed to convert against Ustari. The introduction of new players from the bench, including Manu Garcia, added fresh energy to Sporting’s attack as they sought to overcome the deficit.
In a tense late moment, Sporting thought they had equalized with a shot from Erik Thommy that hit the near post, only for the goal to be disallowed due to an offside call earlier in the play.
The teams now look ahead to next week’s decisive second leg, where Sporting KC will aim to overturn the deficit in search of a place in the next round of the Champions Cup.