Riquelme Fillipi scored his maiden Major League Soccer goal in the 90th minute to finish off a wild late flurry, helping Lionel Messi and Inter Miami escape with a hard-fought 2-2 draw against FC Cincinnati.
Luis Suarez originally put Inter Miami ahead in the 61st minute with a neat strike, but the defending MLS Cup champions eventually needed late-game heroics to salvage a point. Despite the late comeback, Miami slipped to third place in the Eastern Conference standings following New England’s 3-2 victory over Red Bull New York on Wednesday.
That result pushed New England to 58 points, two ahead of Miami with just two matches remaining, setting up a high-stakes clash between the two sides in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on Sunday.
FC Cincinnati nearly snatched a dramatic victory in stoppage time when Evander unleashed a shot from near the penalty spot, but Inter Miami defender Ian Fray threw his body in front of the ball to make a crucial block. Cincinnati’s following corner kick posed no threat as time expired.
Inter Miami snatch a point in thriller
Kenji Mboma Dem levelled the match in the 80th minute before Samuel Gidi scored his first MLS goal six minutes later on a fast break from the top of the box, briefly giving Cincinnati a late lead. However, Fillipi came to Miami’s rescue by converting from the left side of the penalty area, finishing from almost the exact spot as Suarez’s earlier opener.
Sunday’s matchup now carries huge significance for Inter Miami. Lionel Messi’s side will travel to face the Revolution, with the outcome heavily influencing which team locks up the No. 2 seed in the East, and potentially overall positioning in the MLS Cup playoffs. Miami will wrap up their regular season campaign on November 7 at home against Charlotte.
Before kickoff, MLS announced that next year’s Sprint Season will feature Cincinnati visiting Miami on February 19, opening a shortened schedule that bridges the current calendar with an international-aligned format beginning in July 2027. Cincinnati missed a chance to lock up a playoff spot, which required a win at Miami and a Columbus loss to Dallas.
(With inputs from agencies)
