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FC Cincinnati and host Inter Miami still have time to improve their postseason seeding, but with only three regular-season matches remaining, their clash Wednesday night is vital to those efforts.
Each team’s superstar — Lionel Messi for Inter Miami and Evander for Cincinnati — is expected to be ready to go.
Miami picked up three points at Cincinnati with a 5-3 victory on May 13, when Messi scored twice. Evander also scored that day, giving Cincinnati a 3-2 second-half lead before Miami answered with three goals in a span of 10 minutes.
Miami (15-6-10, 55 points) enters the match tied with New England for second place in the Eastern Conference, but the Revolution hold the tiebreaker with more wins (17).
Cincinnati (11-11-9, 42 points) is also on the wrong side of a tiebreaker, level on points with seventh-place Orlando City but with one fewer win than the Lions.
With Nashville already having clinched the Supporters’ Shield, Inter Miami instead will look to secure the No. 2 seed and improve their chances of qualifying for the 2027 CONCACAF Champions Cup.
For Cincinnati, moving up to seventh would mean clinching an outright playoff berth rather than finishing eighth and being forced to play a wild-card game. Cincinnati can clinch at least a play-in berth with a win over Miami and a Columbus loss to FC Dallas.
“Players are going to have to be ready because we’re going to need the fresh legs,” FC Cincinnati coach Pat Noonan said Tuesday.
Evander powers Cincinnati’s attack with 14 goals and 15 assists, while Kevin Denkey leads the team with 17 goals.
Inter Miami had a three-game winning streak snapped last Saturday in a 2-0 loss to the New York Red Bulls, a game in which Messi entered off the bench in the 56th minute. Messi is expected to return to the starting lineup as he looks to add to his MLS Golden Boot-leading 25 goals and strengthen his case for a third consecutive league MVP award.
Some Inter Miami players said the loss last weekend was just what the team needed to refocus ahead of its playoff run.
“It was a hit that came just at the right time,” Miami defender Gonzalo Lujan said Tuesday.
–Field Level Media
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