Inter Miami avoided a damaging defeat as Rikelmi Felipe scored in the 90th minute to secure a 2-2 draw with Cincinnati in Major League Soccer.
Luis Suarez had put Inter Miami ahead in the 61st minute, but Cincinnati turned the match around during the closing stages. Kenji Mboma Deim equalised in the 80th minute before team-mate Samuel Gedi struck six minutes later to give the hosts a 2-1 lead.
The result looked set to leave Inter Miami empty-handed until Rikelmi Felipe scored his first Major League Soccer goal in the final minute of normal time. His late intervention ensured the sides shared the points.
Lionel Messi, who returned to the team after the World Cup, did not score or provide an assist in the match.
New England move above Inter Miami
The draw saw Inter Miami drop to third in the Eastern Conference after New England Revolution beat New York Red Bulls 3-2 on Wednesday. That victory moved New England into second place.
New England have 58 points, two more than third-placed Inter Miami, while Nashville lead the standings on 71 points.
Inter Miami’s next fixture could have a major bearing on the battle for second place. Messi’s side travel to face New England Revolution on Sunday, with the result potentially influencing both the final Eastern Conference positions and the second place in the Major League Soccer play-offs.
The match will be Inter Miami’s penultimate game of the regular season. They will complete their campaign at home against Charlotte on 7 November.
The draw was also a missed opportunity for Cincinnati, who could have taken a significant step towards securing their place in the play-offs. They remain eighth with 43 points.
Inter Miami have endured an inconsistent run of form and were beaten 2-0 by New York Red Bulls in their previous league match.
Since Messi returned to the team after the World Cup, Inter Miami have played 15 Major League Soccer matches with the Argentina forward involved. They have recorded four wins, four defeats and seven draws in those games.
The meeting with New England Revolution is scheduled for 1 November 2026, with the outcome likely to shape the final stages of Inter Miami’s regular-season campaign.
