In Miami’s humid evening, Inter Miami turned a composed home performance against New York City into an early ticket to the MLS postseason, winning 2-0 and securing a playoff place with six regular-season rounds still to play.
Key takeaways
- Germán Berterame opened the scoring in the 20th minute after Luis Suárez supplied the final pass.
- Rodrigo De Paul made it 2-0 just before half-time, with Lionel Messi creating the goal.
- Inter Miami reached 14 league wins and sit second in the Eastern Conference on 52 points, behind Nashville.
- Dayne St. Clair saved Nicolás Fernández Mercau’s stoppage-time penalty to preserve another clean sheet.
- New York City are now four matches without a victory and have temporarily slipped outside the postseason positions.
Miami book their place alongside Nashville
Inter Miami became the second Eastern Conference club, after Nashville, to make mathematical certainty of a place in the playoffs. Kily González’s side were already well placed in the standings, but the win over a direct conference rival removed any remaining doubt.
The breakthrough arrived after 20 minutes. Suárez found Berterame, who converted to give the hosts control of the contest. Miami extended that advantage close to the interval when Messi provided the assist for De Paul, whose finish gave the home side a two-goal cushion before the break.
It was a familiar continental blend in south Florida: Uruguay’s Suárez helping Argentine forward Berterame strike first, before Messi and De Paul combined for the second. The result left Miami on 52 points, occupying second place in the East behind Nashville.
St. Clair keeps New York City out
New York City had a late opportunity to change the complexion of the night when Nicolás Fernández Mercau stepped up from the penalty spot in added time. Canadian goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair denied him, ensuring Miami completed a second successive match without conceding after the previous victory over DC United.
Messi nearly added another moment in stoppage time, leading a counterattack that ended with Brazilian Riquelme Fillipi striking the post. A third goal would have been harsh on the visitors, but Miami had already done enough to celebrate a significant milestone in their season.
For New York City, the journey south ended with a fourth consecutive match without a win. Their run has left them, for now, outside the MLS playoff places, while Inter Miami can approach the final six rounds with their postseason place secured.
