He Inter Miami achieved for the first time in its history the pass to the Eastern final of the MLS after winning 0-4 at Cincinnati away, with goals from Lionel Messi, Matteo Silvetti and a double from Tadeo Allende, in an authentic football lesson directed by Javier Mascherano. Mascherano opted for the young man from Rosario Mateo Silvetti instead of the veteran Luis Suárez, available after serving a suspension, perhaps one of his most difficult decisions as a coach.
Silvetti, 19, was not even born when Messi debuted in 2004 with Barcelona. The play turned out well. In the 19th minute, after a robbery by Jordi Alba in the center of the field, Lionel Messi opened the wing for Silvetti, the Rosario connection, who returned it with a cross into the area that Messi headed away from Roman Celentano.
It was Messi’s sixth goal in these MLS play-offs, his 35th in the league. The Argentine star would participate in all of Inter’s goals in Cincinnati, author of the assists on the other three goals. Messi also scored the second minutes later, when he stood alone against Celentano thanks to a masterful assist from Sergio Busquets, but his cross shot went just wide of the post.
Both teams had chances in this first half, although the clearest ones went to Inter Miami, which showed its best side: very organized and dangerous in attack. In addition, they gave their all in defense until the last minute, despite the large score.
Cincinnati could not improve its shortcomings at the break, opening a second half without direction, with Evander missing and playing with one gear less than Inter Miami, which did not take long to extend its advantage. It was the 57th minute, in a play started by Tadeo Allende on the right wing for Messi, who enabled Silvetti. The young attacker defined first, crossing the ball out of Celentano’s reach.
Tadeo Allende, just before scoring one of his goals
Cincinnati had not recovered from the blow when, after five minutes and practically defending in their own area, Messi stole a ball from Evander and galloped, assisting Allende into space, who was left alone in front of the goalkeeper and surpassed him without difficulty.
Inter Miami’s fourth goal was a carbon copy of the third: an opening to Messi’s space for Allende, who only had to finish against Celentano. The Cincinnati defense will have nightmares with Silvetti and Allende running down the wings, while Messi directed the game like a true conductor.
TECHNICAL SHEET
0 – FC Cincinnati: Roman Celentano; Lukas Engel (Luca Orellano, m.57), Teenage Hadebe (Alvas Powell, m.78), Miles Robinson, Nick Hagglund (Ayoub Jabbari, m.66); Brenner, Samuel Gidi, Evander, Pavel Bucha (Obina Nwobobo, m.78), Ender Echenique (Yuya Kubo, m.66); Kevin Denkey.
4 – InterMiami: Rocco Ríos; Jordi Alba (Gonzalo Luján, m.82), Noah Allen (Tomás Avilés, m.71), Maximiliano Falcón, Marcelo Weigandt; Baltasar Rodríguez (Telasco Segovia, d.76), Rodrigo de Paul, Sergio Busquets; Tadeo Allende (Luis Suárez, m.76), Mateo Silvetti (Yannick Bright, m.82) and Lionel Messi.
Goals: 0-1, Lionel Messi (m. 19); 0-2, Mateo Silvetti (m. 57); 0-3, Tadeo Allende (m. 62); 0-4, Tadeo Allende (m. 74)
Referee: Canadian Drew Fischer.
Incidents: MLS Eastern Conference semi-final tie played at the TQL Stadium in Cincinnati (Ohio, United States) in front of around 26,000 spectators.
Inter Miami now awaits a rival in the Eastern final, which will emerge from the confrontation between Philadelphia Union and New York City, whose tie will be played this Sunday night. The Eastern final will be played next weekend.
