Inter Miami beat FC Cincinnati 4–0 and secured a historic spot in the Eastern Conference final, carried by a performance with Lionel Messi at the center of everything. The captain scored once, handed out three assists, tied Puskás with 404 career assists and became the player with the most goal involvements in a single MLS postseason, now with 12. It was the kind of match that lifted the club’s competitive weight and pushed Miami into the most important game in its history.
The start that cleared the path for the club’s biggest win ever
The result began to take shape early, at the 19 minute mark, with a play that showed how in sync the trio behind nearly every key moment really was. Silvetti crossed into the box after a quick series of passes and Messi slipped in at the right time to head it home, his 35th MLS goal of the season.
Before halftime, Miami had a chance to stretch the lead when Rodríguez fired from inside the box in the 26th minute, forcing a strong save from Cincinnati goalkeeper Celentano. The score stayed the same, but the stage was set for the team to return after the break with room to turn that lead into full control.
The plays that turned the score into a rout
Coming out of halftime, everything that had been building early in the match moved faster. At 57 minutes, Messi connected with Silvetti again, this time for the young midfielder to score his first goal for the club with a first time finish tucked into the far corner.
A few minutes later, in the 62nd, the game tilted even further with another pass from the captain, now in a quick transition that left Allende free to place his shot into the bottom left corner. The forward is on a great run in the playoffs and stretched that form in the 74th minute, finishing another Messi assist, this one played with the outside of his foot.
With his third assist of the match, Messi reached 25 in the league campaign and pushed his total to 21 direct goal involvements over his last seven games. The 4–0 score held until the final whistle and sent Inter Miami to the Eastern Conference final for the first time, built on solid numbers, precise execution and players who delivered exactly when the club needed them.
If Miami is still chasing its biggest title, the semifinal in Cincinnati already stands out as the match that showed how much the team has grown and how decisive Messi remains even in stages that demand absolute precision.