Inter Miami must like their position with six games remaining in the Major League Soccer regular season. On Wednesday evening, Tata Martino’s side ran over Toronto FC, the worst team in MLS, 4-0, behind a two-goal effort by Finnish winger Robert Taylor.
The result is bittersweet given the unknown situation behind Lionel Messi, who asked to be substituted in the 36th minute of the first half. Messi, who according to the Argentine national team and Inter Miami, has been battling fatigue and a muscle injury, all of it seemed to come to a head with not being able to complete one half of soccer, raising questions why Tata Martino put him in the starting lineup to begin with.
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Messi was taken off as a “precaution” according to Martino and will have tests done on Thursday to determine the severity of the injury. Still, with their victory over TFC and a US Open Cup final to play on next Wednesday, in regard to MLS play, Inter Miami now know what they need to do to get to the MLS playoffs.
Inter Miami’s MLS playoff hopes
In order to reach the MLS postseason, Inter Miami will need the following, go 4-2 in their last six, of which the team will play Chicago, NYCFC, and Charlotte (x2) all teams below the playoff line.
If Inter Miami are able to achieve those four wins then they would also need:
-DC United to drop 4 points in their last 4
-New York Red Bulls to drop 3 points in their last 4
-Chicago Fire to drop 2 points in their last 5
-Charlotte to drop 2 points in their last 4
The scenario is very achievable given where each team is at in the MLS East standings, they will also face Orlando City, who qualified for the playoffs on Wednesday.
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In the MLS East the following clubs have booked tickets to the playoffs, FC Cincinnati, Orlando City, Columbus Crew, and Philadelphia Union.
In the MLS West, St. Louis CITY defied all odds and are in first place and through to the postseason, and at the moment is the only team in the West through to the playoffs.
