Messi shines as Inter Miami extends winning streak with 5-3 victory.

On Wednesday night, Inter Miami secured a commanding 5-3 victory over host Cincinnati, propelled by Lionel Messi's brace and a crucial assist. The Argentinian superstar, playing as a forward for the Herons, netted his 10th and 11th goals of the campaign while also setting up a teammate. This performance helped Miami extend their impressive away form, marking their fifth consecutive win on the road in Major League Soccer and their seventh straight away triumph across all competitions.

The match began with Miami capitalizing on defensive lapses from Cincinnati. In the 24th minute, Messi opened the scoring by pressuring centre back Matt Miazga, forcing a poorly judged pass into an open net. Later, in the 55th minute, he leveled the contest at 2-2 with a well-placed strike following a combination play that involved Luis Suarez and an assist from Rodrigo de Paul. De Paul also found the net himself, contributing to a night where he recorded two assists.

Cincinnati's resilience was highlighted by Kevin Denkey, who scored his eighth goal and provided two assists, while Evander added a seventh goal to give the hosts a 3-2 lead in the 64th minute. However, the momentum shifted dramatically late in the game. Mateo Silvetti equalized in the 79th minute, turning a two-goal deficit into a 3-3 draw. His goal came from a clever play where he cut back inside a turnover in the Cincinnati penalty area to slot the ball low into the bottom right corner.

The drama continued as Lionel Messi almost completed his third MLS hat-trick in the 89th minute. After receiving a cross from Silvetti, he drove a sliding finish that struck the inside of the right post and bounced off the keeper, Roman Celentano, before crossing the line. The referee ultimately ruled the play an own goal for Cincinnati.

In the dying moments, German forward Berterame scored the go-ahead goal in the 84th minute to seal the win. His fourth goal of the season resulted from a defensive blunder where centre back Andrei Chirila collided with his own goalkeeper, allowing the ball to spill out for Berterame to score into an open net. This victory ended Cincinnati's six-match unbeaten run and marked their fifth instance of conceding three or more goals in nine games.

With a record of 7-2-4 and 25 points, Inter Miami's late rally, supported by assists from Messi and Silvetti, ensured they remained dominant on the road. This result stands as a rematch of their earlier 4-0 win in Cincinnati during the 2025 Eastern Conference semifinals, showcasing Miami's ability to overcome adversity and deliver consistent high-scoring performances.