In a disheartening turn of events, Lionel Messi and Inter Miami saw their playoff dreams shattered with a 1-0 loss to FC Cincinnati on a Saturday night clash held in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
The hero of the match emerged in the form of Argentine forward Alvaro Barreal, who secured victory with a crucial goal in the 78th minute.
Messi, who had been sidelined due to a leg injury since September 20, finally made his eagerly awaited return as a substitute in the 55th minute. However, even with his presence, Inter Miami (9-17-6, 33 points) struggled to find the back of the net, sealing their fate of missing out on the playoffs.
Adding to their woes, unfavorable outcomes in other matches have left Miami languishing near the bottom of the Eastern Conference, trailing the final playoff spot by a substantial seven-point margin. With just two matches remaining, the path to the playoffs has become exceedingly challenging.
On the flip side, FC Cincinnati (20-5-8, 68 points) continued their extraordinary season, further solidifying their remarkable campaign by securing the coveted Supporters’ Shield for boasting the best regular-season record in the league.
