Inter Miami face FC Cincinnati tonight (7:30 p.m. ET) at the TQL Stadium for MLS regular season, with The Herons looking to close the gap on the Eastern Conference leaders. Captain Lionel Messi appeared in the starting lineup, as he is set to extend his goalscoring record.
Messi made headlines over the weekend by becoming the first player in Major League Soccer history to score multiple goals in five consecutive matches. The Argentine has scored 10 goals during his record-breaking five-game streak, and 16 goals and seven assists on the season.
However, Messi hasn’t scored against Cincinnati so far. In two previous matchups, the Rosario native has been kept off the scoresheet. Speaking to the press, Miami’s coach Javier Mascherano said that the negative streak could be another motivation for Messi.
“It’s a great motivation for Leo. We know how he is, he always finds an extra challenge before every game… and if he doesn’t, he invents one,” Mascherano said with a smile. “Hopefully, he can end that scoreless streak.”
Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring against Nashville (Leonardo Fernandez/Getty Images)
Inter Miami’s attack has leaned heavily on Messi’s output in recent games, with back-to-back narrow wins over New England Revolution and Nashville SC. With Cincinnati sitting ahead of The Herons in the standings, Messi and company will try to maintain their good form.
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Inter Miami’s playoff push and injury updates
Inter Miami currently sit fifth in the Eastern Conference standings with 38 points. They trail conference leaders Philadelphia Union by five points but have three games in hand due to Club World Cup scheduling. A win on Wednesday could see them climb significantly in a tightly packed table.
Head coach Javier Mascherano also provided updates on the team’s injury situation. Midfielders Yannick Bright and David Ruiz, along with defender Gonzalo Lujan, have received medical clearance and will travel with the team to Cincinnati. However, Mascherano noted it remains uncertain how many minutes, if any, they will play.
