The playoff dream is over! Just hours ago, Inter Miami played their MLS fixture against Cincinnati at the DRV PNK Stadium. This time, Lionel Messi finally joined his teammates as he started the game from the bench. Sadly, even in his presence, Miami couldn’t keep their case for the playoffs as they endured a poor loss by just a margin of a goal. Following the match, fans reacted to The Herons’ humiliating loss.

The Miami-based side took the gamble of including Lionel Messi in today’s match, but there were no encouraging signs for David Beckham‘s soccer franchise, as their playoff dreams have now been shattered.

Fans react as Lionel Messi and Inter Miami lose against Cincinnati

The first half saw both sides tussling for a goal, but neither side could break the deadlock. As we went into the second half, Inter Miami used their ace card and brought in Lionel Messi in the 55th minute. Despite passing the ball around, neither Miami nor Cincinnati could find a goal. However, in the last 10 minutes, things went downhill for the home side as Cincinnati finally broke the deadlock.

Midfielder Alvaro Barreal was able to give his side a narrow lead in the last moments of the match. Despite pushing all the buttons, the Argentine soccer legend and Inter Miami couldn’t clinch an equalizer, forcing the match to end in Cincinnati’s favor. Visibly, the Herons’ fans were upset about the situation. Here’s how they reacted.

Someone regrets losing his sleep over tonight’s game.

It’s OVER for Miami.

A fan goes brave and blames Lionel Messi!

A spicy taunt!

A fan claims that Inter Miami has gone to reset mode.

Shots were fired at the Inter Miami defenders.

Optimism, at its best!

Was this Tata Martino’s fault?

Quite a decent outlook to have when one is a soccer fan.

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Indeed, it is a poor loss for Inter Miami and a huge blow for their playoff hopes. Unfortunately, Lionel Messi and Co. won’t be able to rally more for the playoffs as their chances of qualifying have come to an end.

Dreamy playoff spots go blurry for Inter Miami

Following the loss, it’s evident that Miami’s playoff aspirations have come to an end. Even with Lionel Messi coming off the bench in the second half, the captain couldn’t turn the tide in his team’s favor. The defeat leaves them in 14th place with 33 points, seven points adrift of the playoff position.

With just two games remaining, there is absolutely no chance for Tata Martino and his team to secure a playoff spot. Nevertheless, these last two matches, both against Charlotte, offer them an opportunity to improve their domestic standing before the MLS season concludes. It’s indeed a disappointing conclusion to what turned out to be a fantastic turnaround to Inter Miami’s journey in MLS.

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