Despite the return of Lionel Messi from his injury, Inter Miami lost 1-0 against FC Cincinnati on Saturday and bid farewell to the season by being eliminated from playoffs North American League (MLS).

Messi, who started as a substitute, entered the field in the 55th minute, but was unable to prevent FC Cincinnati’s victory with a goal by Argentine Álvaro Barreal in the 78th minute at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale (a suburb of Miami). .

Inter, who needed to win to ensure survival, fell to 14th place in the Eastern Conference with 33 points.

Although it still has two games left, the team led by Gerardo Martino is seven points away from ninth place, the last place from which it comes playoffs.

Messi, who returned after a four-game absence, was out of rhythm and this time could not be the savior of Miami, who suffered the first defeat in thirteen games in which he counted on the field with the Albiceleste captain.

I saw that Messi misses football. The injury is fine, there is no problem, but it is logical because he has played very little lately and it could happen that he lacks rhythm,” Martino told reporters.

Inter enjoyed scoring chances in the first half but suffered fatigue in the second against Cincinnati who, although already classified as overall leaders, were highly motivated to get out of the way of what could be a poisoned rival in playoffs.

Messi’s arrival in mid-July transformed Inter, then the worst team in MLS, into a formidable team and catapulted them to their first ever League Cup trophy alongside his former Barcelona partners Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba.

But the physical problems he began to suffer in September, combined with those of other teammates like Alba in a very tight schedule, saw Inter first fall short of a second US Open Cup final title as illusions qualified for the postseason. .

“Out of three possible tournaments, we won one, that’s a very important fact for us,” said Martino.

With Messi sitting on the bench, near celebrities such as Argentine producer Bizarrapa, Inter started with almost absolute control of the ball and the best chances in the first half.

In just 24 minutes, Argentines Tomás Avilés and Benjamín Cremaschi and Venezuelan Josef Martínez scored three shots on the wooden net.

Messi watched restlessly as the crowd chanted his name in the pouring rain. He crack The Argentine entered the pitch in the 55th minute, and just four minutes later he enjoyed a free kick in an unbeatable position, which he sent over the crossbar.

Inter had to advance in search of a vital victory and left the backfield free for Cincinnati’s counter-attacks. After two shots from the Gabonese Aaron Boupendza against the post, the guests came after a shot from the Japanese Yuya Kubo, which was finished by the Argentinian Barreal after goalkeeper Drake Callender’s clearance.

With a quarter of an hour remaining, Messi looked for an equalizer with two more free kicks, but eventually watched his side finish in resignation.

While at Inter Miami Ecuadorian Dixon Arroyo was watching the game from the substitute bench, Leonardo Campana was not there. (D)