Thu Jan 30 07:50:00 IST 2025: ## Inter Miami Edges Universitario in Penalty Shootout Thriller
**LIMA, PERU** – Inter Miami CF kicked off their South American preseason tour with a dramatic penalty shootout victory over Universitario de Deportes in front of a roaring 80,000-strong crowd at the Estadio Monumental U. The match ended 0-0 after a hard-fought 90 minutes, forcing a penalty shootout that saw Inter Miami emerge victorious.
New manager Javier Mascherano, in only his second game at the helm, fielded a strong starting XI featuring Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez. He also gave a debut to new signing Tadeo Allende, who played over 70 minutes before being substituted. Despite dominating possession (60%) and recording 11 shots, Inter Miami couldn’t find the back of the net during regulation time.
The penalty shootout followed the same format as their previous preseason game, bypassing extra time. Universitario’s Jairo Vélez missed his team’s third penalty, while Inter Miami converted all four of their initial attempts. Yannick Bright sealed the win with the decisive fifth penalty, securing a 2-0 victory on penalties. Messi, Suárez, Jordi Alba, and Sergio Busquets, all substituted before the shootout, celebrated with their teammates.
Inter Miami now boasts a perfect 2-0 preseason record, with both wins coming via penalty shootouts under Mascherano’s leadership. Their South and Central American tour continues with matches against Sporting San Miguelito in Panama on February 2nd and Olimpia in Honduras.
First Piper 