Messi’s Inter Miami Seeks Fifth Consecutive Away Win Against Cincinnati
Lionel Messi and Inter Miami aim for their fifth consecutive away victory on Wednesday night as they face an FC Cincinnati team that has been frequently settling for draws.
Following a disappointing 4-3 home defeat to Orlando on May 2, where Miami (6-2-4, 22 points) squandered a three-goal lead, the Herons regained their form with a 4-2 win against Toronto FC on Saturday afternoon.
Sergio Reguilon, who faced a challenging first spring in MLS due to knee and hamstring injuries limiting his appearances to just four across all competitions, scored his first goal in a 23-minute cameo against Toronto, assisted by Messi, marking the Argentine’s fourth assist of the season.
With more consistent performances expected from the 29-year-old Reguilon, Miami hopes to strengthen their overall play on both ends of the field. Reguilon now seeks to establish the same connection with Messi that his predecessor at left back, Jordi Alba, enjoyed during the 2023-25 seasons.
“I’m in a serious and focused moment, I just want to spend as much time as possible on the pitch,” he said in Spanish. “I was a little frustrated with this start. But now I think I can see the light. I feel good again, my body feels good and recovered. So now it’s about finding the consistency that I’ve been wanting so badly.”
Cincinnati (4-4-4, 16 points) remains unbeaten in its last six matches, with four draws, although they recently squandered a two-goal halftime lead in a 2-2 draw at Charlotte FC on Saturday. Manager Pat Noonan sees potential in his team’s play that could lead to success against Miami on Wednesday night.
“There were good stretches of playing on one- and two-touch, moving left to right, moving behind pressure just in a connected way, where it allowed us to control some transition moments and be really connected with our play,” Noonan said.
Kevin Denkey and Evander have combined for 13 goals in their 22 appearances. However, Cincinnati’s defense has been struggling, conceding multiple goals in seven of its last nine league games.