MIAMI: Inter Miami secured their place in the Major League Soccer (MLS) playoffs with a 2-0 victory over New York City FC on Wednesday, with Lionel Messi playing a decisive role in both first-half goals.
Rodrigo De Paul and German Berterame scored as Miami extended their winning run to two matches under head coach Cristian “Kily” Gonzalez, who took charge last month.
The victory guaranteed second-placed Inter Miami at least a place in the wild-card round, with five regular-season matches remaining.
“I’m leaving happy. Obviously, there’s a lot to improve, but we’re making progress little by little,” Gonzalez said after the match.
Messi Helps Miami Break Through
Messi was once again a major attacking threat after scoring twice on Saturday following his return from an emotional farewell appearance for Argentina the previous week.
The Argentine superstar helped create both goals against New York City FC, demonstrating his influence in Miami’s attacking play.
The opening goal arrived in the 20th minute when Messi controlled the ball just outside the penalty area and passed it to De Paul. The midfielder then sent a looping diagonal ball towards Luis Suarez near the byline.
Suarez delivered a low cross across the face of goal, allowing Berterame to finish from close range and end his scoring drought, which had stretched back to May.
The goal gave Miami the breakthrough they needed and rewarded their early attacking pressure.
De Paul Doubles Miami’s Lead
Inter Miami struck again with the final kick of the first half, capitalising on a quick counterattack.
Berterame carried the ball across the halfway line before playing a pass towards Messi. Although the delivery was mishit, the Argentine forward collected possession and drove towards the opposition defence.
With three defenders closing in, Messi used the outside of his left foot to lay the ball off to De Paul.
The midfielder unleashed a powerful shot that flew high into the net to the goalkeeper’s right, giving Miami a comfortable 2-0 advantage at the interval.
The two goals proved enough to secure the victory, although Miami continued to threaten after the break.
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Freese Denies Messi and De Paul
The second half ended without a goal, but Messi came close to adding another when he sent a curling effort from just outside the penalty area over the crossbar.
As the clock reached 90 minutes, Messi took a short corner and passed to De Paul, who attempted a long-range shot towards the far top corner.
New York City FC goalkeeper Matt Freese produced an outstanding diving save, tipping the ball onto the post to prevent a third Miami goal.
New York City had another opportunity deep into stoppage time after Ian Fray brought down substitute Talles Magno inside the penalty area.
However, Dayne St. Clair saved the resulting penalty with a superb low dive to his right, palming the ball around the crossbar and preserving Miami’s clean sheet.
Miami Improve Defensive Record
The victory marked Inter Miami’s second consecutive clean sheet after they had gone 10 matches without one.
Gonzalez praised his team’s defensive organisation, particularly its ability to prevent New York City from exploiting counterattacking opportunities.
“I really liked how we handled dropping back into defensive shape. We didn’t get caught out on the counter and were very aggressive, breaking up plays whenever a sudden transition from them looked likely,” he said.
The coach acknowledged that Miami’s ball circulation was sometimes too slow but expressed satisfaction with the team’s overall performance.
The improved defensive display provided another positive sign as Miami prepare for the postseason.
Inter Miami Strengthen Hold on Second Place
New York City FC entered the match in poor form, having recorded just one victory in their previous 11 MLS games.
The defeat extended their difficult run, while Inter Miami strengthened their position in second place in the Eastern Conference.
Although first-placed Nashville remained out of reach in the conference standings, Miami’s latest victory improved their prospects of securing home-field advantage during the playoffs.
With five regular-season games still to play, Messi and his teammates will look to maintain their momentum and build on the combination of attacking quality and defensive improvement that secured their latest win.
