Inter Miami has been officially eliminated from playoff contention with their 1-0 loss to Eastern Conference rivals FC Cincinnati.
The Herons needed a win to stay within touching distance of ninth place in the East, but they fell short, missing multiple open looks on goal and failing to convert their chances.
This game also marks the return of Lionel Messi after four games out due to a lingering hamstring injury. The 36-year-old instantly provided Inter Miami with an offensive spark that showed signs of promise. Unfortunately, Cincinnati would kill that momentum in the 78th minute, scoring the goal that would destroy Miami’s playoff hopes.
When asked by the Miami Herald about the team’s sudden drop in form, manager Tata Martino had this to say: “I thought we would pull the team together, start to improve but not do much in the Leagues Cup, have a chance to win the U.S. Open Cup because we were already in the semifinal, and then we would make a run into the playoffs.”
With the loss, Miami is now winless in their last five matches and will end the season playing Charlotte FC on October 18th and 21st.
Inter Miami roster re-tool
Despite the whirlwind summer of signing the best player in the world, there are glaring holes in this Miami roster.
Tata Martino recognizes the need, and even spoke about it in his post-game press conference: “Now we need to work on what lies ahead… we need to be precise and solid when analyzing how prepared we are heading into next season.”
Injuries have dragged the team down, and a mid-season coaching change certainly doesn’t help. Additionally, Martino is coaching a roster made up of players from the previous manager, Phil Neville.
While tactically, Martino could improve in certain areas, the Herons will be able to address those issues in the off-season.
Next year will be key for Inter Miami if they want to win more silverware. The way the 2023 season is ending for the Herons isn’t ideal. However, next year will give the Inter Miami front office a new start and give them time to construct a roster that is capable of potentially challenging for MLS Cup.