On Wednesday night, Inter Miami lost 3-0 against FC Cincinnati, ending Lionel Messi’s remarkable multi-goal run. The defeat ended Miami’s five-game winning streak in addition to ending Messi’s incredible five-game stretch of two or more goals, which is the longest in MLS history.
Cincinnati took the lead in the first few minutes, scoring four goals before Inter Miami could muster one. In the sixteenth minute, Gerardo Valenzuela scored his fifth goal of the season with a low finish from the left side of the box, breaking the tie.
Messi, who had 16 goals in 17 MLS games going into the game and was tied for the league lead, had trouble finding his flow. His first attempt came in stoppage time of the first half, but Cincinnati goalie Roman Celentano easily saved it.
The 38-year-old shown indications of exhaustion, recording the least amount of distance traveled by any player on the field at one point in the second half, even though he had played the entire 90 minutes for the ninth straight game, including Club World Cup matches.
Highlights of the match
Just minutes after the restart, Evander scored his 14th goal of the season and his 50th in Major League Soccer to give Cincinnati a two-goal advantage early in the second half. After Luca Orellano’s attempt was parried, he later added a second in the 78th minute by burying a rebound.
The Philadelphia Union, the leaders of the Eastern Conference, defeated CF Montreal 2-1, and Cincinnati (14-3-6) is still within one point of them. Cincinnati is going to Real Salt Lake, while Inter Miami (11-4-5) is in fifth place and will next play the New York Red Bulls.
Another example of Miami’s defensive weakness occurred early in the second half when Cincy increased their lead. Cincy star Evander brushed off Sergio Busquets and then slotted home to make it 2-0, buzzing through the Herons’ defense. In the 70th minute, backup goalkeeper Rocco Rios Novo, who replaced Oscar Ustari due to an apparent injury, parried a shot directly into Evander’s path and he scored from close range. He had it so easy this evening, and Miami had a hard time doing anything correctly. Cincinnati’s offensive efficiency and defensive solidity made it a challenging evening for Inter Miami, who struggled to create significant scoring opportunities.
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