Who will Inter Miami face in the 2023 US Open Cup final?
After lifting the Leagues Cup, Lionel Messi and Co. will have the chance to pick up another trophy in Florida next month. We take a look at the team that will be trying to stop them.
While Lionel Messi and Inter Miami struggled to scrape through their US Open Cup 2023 semifinal against FC Cincinnati, the Houston Dynamo had fewer problems eliminating Real Salt Lake in the other semi-final at Shell Energy Stadium, although the match was settled in extra-time. The Texans will face Las Garzas in the final on Wednesday 27 September.
Héctor Herrera had given Houston a first-half lead with a strike late into stoppage-time. The Mexican was free to steer the ball home after a mix-up in the visitors’ defence.
Real Salt Lake were back level just after the hour when Anderson Julio rose above the Houston defence to head past Andrew Tarbell to make it 1-1. And that was how it ended on full-time, forcing the game to go to extra-time.
It was all orange
Midfielder Adalberto Carrasquilla fired Ben Olsen’s team back in front with a low drive from the edge of the area on 105 minutes. It was a blow from which Real Salt Lake couldn’t recover.
With the dying seconds ticking down, Luis Alberto Caicedo put the result beyond doubt, combining with Amine Bassi to stretch Real Salt Lake’s defence. The Colombian had the simple task of slotting into an empty net to make it 3-1 and secure Houston’s place in next month’s final.
Houston Dynamo book Concachampions place
There was another bonus for the Texans who also assured their place in the Concacaf Champions Cup for the first time. Houston qualify for the 2024 edition after Inter Miami secured its place as Leagues Cup 2023 champions. The US Open Cup champions also qualify for the Concacaf Champions Cup, meaning that both will go through regardless of how next month’s final ends.
Houston Dynamo was founded in 2005 and made their MLS debut the following year. The franchise lifted the US Open Cup in 2018 after beating the Philadelphia Union 3-0. It figures among the three trophies in their collection so far - alongside the back-to-back MLS titles in 2006 and 2007.