Lionel Messi led Inter Miami's charge to a convincing 4-0 win over Cincinnati in Sunday's Major League Soccer (MLS) Eastern Conference semifinal, helping his team reach its first-ever East final. The decisive victory marked the third straight playoff win for No. 3 seed Miami, which will now host top-seeded Philadelphia Union in the conference finals.
The dominant performance from Messi was evident as he scored and provided three assists in the match. In the 19th minute, Messi opened the scoring with a firm header past goalkeeper Roman Celentano after a throw-in by Mateo Silvetti. Silvetti doubled Miami's lead in the 57th minute with a well-crafted curling finish, set up by Messi's quick layoff.
Tadeo Allende scored two goals, both on transition opportunities, in the 62nd and 74th minutes. The breakthrough came when Evander released the ball through to Messi, allowing him to create the scoring chance. On both occasions, Allende delivered excellent finishes past Celentano, with his brace securing a convincing victory for Miami.
Cincinnati's elimination marks its third consecutive postseason loss at home, falling short of reaching its second East final. The loss also marked the end of a historic playoff run by Cincinnati, which had advanced to this stage as the top seed in the conference.
Miami's manager Javier Mascherano made a strategic decision not to start key striker Luis Suarez, who served a red-card suspension in the previous round. However, Messi and the younger Miami front four have risen to the challenge, contributing significantly to every single tally against Cincinnati. This win has cemented Messi's status as a dominant force in the league, with six goals and six assists this postseason.
The match marked Inter Miami's 10th playoff victory, pushing them closer to securing their first-ever MLS Cup title. With the win over Philadelphia Union on the horizon, fans at DRV PNK Stadium are now eagerly anticipating the next chapter in the team's historic journey towards championship glory.
The dominant performance from Messi was evident as he scored and provided three assists in the match. In the 19th minute, Messi opened the scoring with a firm header past goalkeeper Roman Celentano after a throw-in by Mateo Silvetti. Silvetti doubled Miami's lead in the 57th minute with a well-crafted curling finish, set up by Messi's quick layoff.
Tadeo Allende scored two goals, both on transition opportunities, in the 62nd and 74th minutes. The breakthrough came when Evander released the ball through to Messi, allowing him to create the scoring chance. On both occasions, Allende delivered excellent finishes past Celentano, with his brace securing a convincing victory for Miami.
Cincinnati's elimination marks its third consecutive postseason loss at home, falling short of reaching its second East final. The loss also marked the end of a historic playoff run by Cincinnati, which had advanced to this stage as the top seed in the conference.
Miami's manager Javier Mascherano made a strategic decision not to start key striker Luis Suarez, who served a red-card suspension in the previous round. However, Messi and the younger Miami front four have risen to the challenge, contributing significantly to every single tally against Cincinnati. This win has cemented Messi's status as a dominant force in the league, with six goals and six assists this postseason.
The match marked Inter Miami's 10th playoff victory, pushing them closer to securing their first-ever MLS Cup title. With the win over Philadelphia Union on the horizon, fans at DRV PNK Stadium are now eagerly anticipating the next chapter in the team's historic journey towards championship glory.
omg what can u say about messi? he's literally unstoppable on the field! i mean 4 goals and 3 assists is insane... he's not just dominating but making his teammates look like stars too 
. i'm loving the way inter miami is playing, they're so confident and cohesive as a team. and that substitution move by mascherano was genius, keeping suarez out for now but letting messi shine even more 
. can't wait to see what happens in the next round 
, that's like, a whole different level of dominating 
. And let me tell you, Inter Miami's front four is on fire 
The stats show it, their playoff win rate is 80% in the postseason so far 
, and with Messi leading the charge, there's no stopping them now 
. Cincinnati just got smashed 4-0 
, I feel bad for the fans, but Miami brought their A-game 
. Cincinnati's loss stings, but they've had a crazy playoff run and can hold their heads high 
. I'm loving this newfound confidence from Messi, he's on fire 
anywayz, congrats to Inter Miami on making it to their first-ever conference final 
! His playmaking skills and goal-scoring prowess have been on full display this postseason, and it's hard to argue against him being the difference-maker in their run to the East final.
. And that front four of Miami's is looking pretty unstoppable 
Can't wait to see what happens next in the playoffs, especially against Philly Union 
it's always some fluff about " dominating performance" or "showing class". Can we talk about the fact that Miami's manager made a decision to bench their star striker? 
That's not exactly a bold move, is it? Anyway, I guess this means Inter Miami will be all over everyone's lips now 
... and have you noticed that messi wasn't even supposed to be starting the game because of suarez's suspension? like what are the chances right? 
The fact that Suarez wasn't even in the starting lineup because of a red card suspension just proves my point - it's all about the big-name signings, not about building a team.
I mean, he's still playing football, scoring goals and creating chances for his teammates... same stuff we've seen throughout his career 
But seriously, it's not like he's suddenly become a superstar just because he's in the MLS. He's still got that magic, but let's not forget, he's still an older guy playing with a bunch of younger guys who are trying to keep up 
And Cincinnati wasn't exactly a tough opponent... was it? 
it's not just about him scoring goals, but also setting up his teammates for a clean sheet 
I mean the guy is a legend on the pitch, his skills are unmatched 
. The fact that they're pushing for an MLS Cup title is so exciting 
Seriously though, 4-0 against Cincinnati, that's a huge statement win. And Suarez serving his suspension must've been a blessing in disguise for the team 
. Now the question is, can Miami handle the pressure of an MLS Cup title? They'll have to keep their mojo going if they wanna take down Philly Union 
Tadeo Allende's goals were so sick too!!