Inter Miami avoided a defeat in their latest Major League Soccer (MLS) fixture against FC Cincinnati, battling to a 2-2 draw on Thursday. The match remained a deadlock for the opening hour before the action intensified, with three of the four goals scored during a frantic final ten-minute window.
Luis Suarez broke the stalemate in the 61st minute to put Inter Miami in front. However, FC Cincinnati responded in the 80th minute with an equalizer from Kenji Mboma Dem, followed by a goal from Samuel Gidi just six minutes later, putting the visitors on the brink of a loss. With the clock ticking toward full time, Riquelme Filippi stepped up in the 90th minute, curling a precise shot from the left side of the box into the far post to salvage a point for his side. This strike marked Filippi’s first MLS goal.
Lionel Messi, who recently returned after receiving the Princess of Asturias Award for his contributions to sports, was unable to register a goal or an assist during the match. This performance followed Miami’s previous 2-0 defeat to the New York Red Bulls, where the Argentine star featured as a second-half substitute following his arrival from travel.
The draw keeps Inter Miami in third place in the Eastern Conference with 58 points. They remain two points behind the second-placed New England Revolution, with both clubs having two matches left in the regular season. The upcoming head-to-head matchup against New England will be decisive, as it will likely determine the second seed in the MLS Cup playoffs.
