Cincinnati Shuts Out Inter Miami in Statement 3-0 Win

Wednesday’s 3-0 loss to FC Cincinnati broke Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami team’s five-game winning streak in Major League Soccer. As Inter achieved four wins and a tie during the run, the 38-year-old Argentine star forward had scored two goals in five straight games for Miami, giving him 16 goals for the season. Messi hadn’t scored two goals or more in five straight games since he joined Barcelona in 2012.

However, Cincinnati limited Miami’s shots on goal to only two during the game.

“It’s obvious that we were outplayed from the start of the game today,” Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano stated via a translator.

We had a really hard time winning the individual duels. Perhaps one of the causes is that we physically bring a lot of hustle and bustle, which ultimately costs us money.

“It ended nicely, but Leo took a knock at the end.”

In the sixteenth minute, Gerardo Valenzuela, a 20-year-old American midfielder, gave Cincinnati the lead.

The hosts needed no more goals than Brazilian attacker Evander, who added two more in the 50th and 70th minutes.

“We didn’t play the game we had in mind. They constantly put pressure on us, we weren’t alert or clear-headed, and they beat us up quite good,” Mascherano remarked.

Miami dropped to 11-4 with five draws for 38 points, fifth in the Eastern Conference and eight points behind all-time MLS leader Philadelphia, who defeated Montreal to maintain a one-point advantage over Cincinnati.

Although Inter Miami has three games left against both teams, they would need to win them all to pass their opponents for the league lead.

“From beginning to end, the opponent outperformed us,” Mascherano remarked. “Obviously, we are concerned with the outcome and the manner in which they defeated us. We must now take a break and prepare for the upcoming match.

That will take place on Saturday when Miami travels to the New York Red Bulls, who defeated New England 5-3 at home on Wednesday thanks to two goals apiece from Emil Forsberg of Sweden and Eric Choupo-Moting of Cameroon.

De Paul will be joining Miami.
AFP was informed on Wednesday by a source with knowledge of the talks that Inter Miami and Atletico Madrid player Rodrigo De Paul had reached an agreement.

De Paul will play for Miami for the next four seasons on loan from Atletico Madrid, with a more than $12 million buyout option for Inter after that.

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In the Leagues Cup, a competition between MLS and Mexican League clubs, De Paul can make his Miami debut on July 30 against Atlas of Mexico.

11 months before the US, Canada, and Mexico host the World Cup, he will depart Europe after four seasons in Madrid to join his compatriot Messi.

Messi has not stated whether he will participate in the World Cup.

Messi and De Paul were colleagues on Argentina’s 2022 World Cup winning squad, and their reunion might persuade Messi to sign a new contract with Inter, whose current agreement with the superstar expires at the end of this year.

In 2026, when Inter will open a new stadium in Miami, the team hopes Messi will stay.

Alongside Messi, Uruguayan Luis Suarez, and Spaniards Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets, DePaul, 31, is a new member of Miami’s core.

On Wednesday, Charlotte was selected as the 2026 MLS All-Star Game host city. The Mexican League All-Stars and the MLS All-Stars will square off in this year’s all-star matchup in Austin, Texas, on Wednesday.