Inter Miami secured a commanding 4-0 victory over FC Cincinnati in the MLS Eastern Conference semi-final on Sunday, marking a significant milestone as the club advances to its first-ever Eastern Conference final. The win also signified the end of the Philadelphia Union’s season, the Supporters’ Shield winners, who fell to New York City FC in a tightly contested 1-0 match later that same day.
The standout performers for Inter Miami were Tadeo Allende, who scored twice in the second half, Lionel Messi, who contributed a goal and three assists, and the young Mateo Silvetti, 19, who added a goal and an assist. This victory extended Miami’s playoff run to its deepest point in the club’s history, setting up a home final showdown against NYC FC.
A notable tactical decision by Miami’s coach, Javier Mascherano, was the choice to bench striker Luis Suárez, a former Barcelona teammate of Messi and a key player during the regular season with 10 goals and 10 assists. Suárez had served a red card suspension in the previous playoff match against Nashville SC but was surprisingly left out of the starting lineup this time. Instead, Miami’s younger attacking players stepped up, and alongside Messi, they demonstrated an elevated level of performance over the last 180 minutes of playoff action. This strategy paid off handsomely as Miami dominated the match from start to finish.
Messi, who is likely to secure a second consecutive MLS MVP award following an outstanding regular season tally of 29 goals and 19 assists, continued his remarkable postseason form. He has now tallied six goals and six assists in the playoffs, contributing directly to every Miami goal. His opening goal came in the 19th minute during an evenly contested early phase of the game. The play began when left-back Jodi Alba intercepted a Cincinnati pass and quickly launched a counterattack. Silvetti then received the ball in space on the left flank and delivered a precise outswinging cross, which Messi met with a firm header to beat goalkeeper Roman Celentano.
The second goal for Miami came in the 57th minute and featured an intricate sequence that highlighted the team’s fluid attacking style. The move started with a throw-in on the right, which was expertly controlled by Allende. He quickly turned to evade a defender and found Messi near the edge of the penalty arc. Messi kept the ball moving seamlessly with a layoff into the path of Silvetti, who curled a beautiful finish into the far post beyond Celentano’s reach.
Allende then took center stage with two goals of his own, scoring in the 62nd and 74th minutes, both on swift transition plays initiated by Messi. On the first of these, Messi dispossessed Cincinnati midfielder Evander and set up the breakaway, delivering the final through ball that allowed Allende to finish calmly. The second goal followed a similar pattern, with Messi once again providing the decisive pass to complete the scoring.
This 4-0 result marked Miami’s second consecutive playoff shutout and fourth consecutive playoff win, following a 4-0 home victory over Nashville SC in the previous round. Miami’s youthful frontline, combined with Messi’s brilliance, has given the team a potent attacking edge that overwhelmed Cincinnati’s defense.
For Cincinnati, the defeat was a bitter disappointment, marking their third consecutive postseason elimination at home and a failure to reach their second Eastern Conference final. Despite their efforts, they were unable to match Miami’s intensity and creativity throughout the match.
Elsewhere on Sunday, New York City FC edged out the top-seeded Philadelphia Union 1-0 in a hard-fought Eastern Conference semi-final at Subaru Park. Maxi Moralez scored the decisive goal in the 27th minute, capitalizing on a perfectly timed run onto a through ball from Nicolás Fernández. Moralez’s shot rolled into the net inside the left post, beating Union goalkeeper Andre Blake.
The match was closely contested, with NYC FC goalkeeper Matt Freese making five crucial saves, including a notable stop of a first-touch shot by Frankie Westfield from close range in the 74th minute. Philadelphia, who had won the 2025 Supporters’ Shield for the best regular season record, suffered only their second loss at Subaru Park all season.
Philadelphia dominated the possession and shot count, outshooting NYC FC 9-3 in the first half and 20-6 overall. However, they struggled to convert their chances,