Miami Falls Short Against Cincinnati in Thrilling MLS Draw
Riquelme Fillipi's late goal secured a point for Inter Miami, keeping their push for a top-two seed in the Eastern Conference alive.
By Allison Rojas ·
Inter Miami earned a hard-fought point on Wednesday night after Riquelme Fillipi scored in the closing minutes to force a 2-2 draw with Cincinnati. The result halts Miami’s momentum in the race for second place in the Eastern Conference. They now trail the New England Revolution by two points. New England secured their own position by defeating the New York Red Bulls 3-2 earlier this week.
The match remained scoreless through a balanced first half. Miami controlled possession and moved the ball extensively, yet they failed to create clear-cut chances. The deadlock finally broke in the 61st minute. Rodrigo De Paul released Casemiro in midfield, who played a first-time pass to Luis Suarez. The Uruguayan turned inside the box and curled the ball into the far top corner. The shot struck the underside of the crossbar before crossing the line.
Cincinnati answered quickly. In the 80th minute, Kenji Mboma Dem advanced from the right side. He used stepovers to beat multiple defenders before curling the ball past the Miami goalkeeping defense. Samuel Gidi extended the lead six minutes later. The defender met a pass near the edge of the area and struck a left-footed shot that beat Dayne St Clair at Nu Stadium.
With Lionel Messi tightly marked, De Paul orchestrated the equalizing sequence. He moved the ball wide to Fillipi, who cut back toward the corner of the penalty area. The young Brazilian’s curling finish slipped through two defenders and into the far net. The goal came just before the final whistle, denying Cincinnati a win.
Both teams had opportunities to win the match in the remaining time. Suarez drove a shot at the goalkeeper, while Cincinnati’s Evander saw a close-range effort blocked by a defender. The referee dismissed appeals for handball, leaving the score unchanged. Miami now faces New England on Sunday. A win or a draw keeps their playoff hopes intact. Nashville SC currently leads the standings after securing the Supporters’ Shield last weekend.
The draw leaves Cincinnati in a delicate position. They remain close to automatic playoff spots but are currently trending toward the wild card round. With two games left in the season, the squad faces the risk of missing the postseason entirely.
