Riquelme Phillipi scored a perfect 90th-minute equalizer to earn Inter Miami a point in their 2-2 draw with FC Cincinnati, ending the Floridians’ hopes of securing second place in the Eastern Conference.
Phillippi’s first MLS goal helped Miami avoid its seventh league defeat of the season, but the New England Revolution still dropped to third place after beating the New York Red Bulls 3-2.
Miami visits New England on Sunday.
Luis Suarez gave Miami the lead with a trademark curling strike, but Miami then sat back and allowed the visitors to take the game, with goals from Kenji Mboma Dem and Samuel Gidi turning the match in their favour.
Filippi equalized, but Miami still needed a gutsy block from defenseman Ian Fry to stop Evander.
“What I do know is that we made mistakes again, I think in part because of a lot of anxiety, especially in the second half,” Miami boss Kily Gonzalez said.
“I think we were too passive in the first half, that’s something we tried to solve at half-time. I say it again: our destiny is in our own hands – we have to win the match – but we have to improve significantly.
“We need to analyze and interpret the game better and understand how it should be played. We need to be more aggressive and we just weren’t there in the first half.”
Messi only collects yellow cards on the periphery
Lionel Messi returned to the starting line-up but had a quiet night, picking up a yellow card for a collision with Cincinnati defender Samuel Gidi.
His struggles were indicative of a strangely ineffective exit from Miami.
“The match required a lot of individual duels, one-on-one situations and playing on the wings,” Gonzalez said. “We should have been clinical, but we didn’t have the sharpness to execute what we set out to do during the week. So, yes, we’re very disappointed, but we have to move on.”
Cincinnati remains eighth in the East and very much in playoff contention.