Despite being short-handed without Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba, host Inter Miami dueled FC Cincinnati to a scoreless draw on Saturday night in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Messi and Alba, who were both suspended on Friday for skipping the MLS All-Star Game earlier this week.
Still, Miami (12-4-6, 42 points) barely found a way to secure a valuable point in its chase of Supporter’s Shield leader Cincinnati (15-6-4, 49 points) 10 days after losing 3-0 in the first meeting between the clubs.
Cincinnati nearly scored the game-winning goal in the second minute of second-half stoppage time when Miles Robinson appeared to sneak a shot past Miami keeper Rocco Rios Novo. But Robinson was called for a foul on Inter Miami’s Noah Allen. The call was upheld even after video-assisted review.
With Messi out, Inter Miami leaned more on Luis Suarez and Tadeo Allende up front. With Alba out, and Miami also missing Maxi Falcon due to yellow card accumulation, it started Benja Cremaschi at the left back position.
Miami did not approach the game tentatively, however, as it put together two great scoring chances in the first 15 minutes of the match.
Fafa Picault, who started with Messi out, nearly scored on a header in the 11th minute. Cincinnati goalkeeper Roman Celentano, who came with his second clean sheet against Inter Miami and third in a row overall.
Rocco Rios Novo started for Inter Miami in goal for the injured Oscar Ustari and recorded his clean sheet and the club’s first since another scoreless draw against Al Ahly on June 14 in the first match of the FIFA Club World Cup. It was Miami’s first shutout in an MLS game since beating Columbus 1-0 on April 19.
Cincinnati superstar Evander, who scored twice in the first game against Inter Miami, was held scoreless. But Evander had a great chance early in the second half but missed the goal on a close-range shot.
Miami outshot Cincinnati 13-8. But Cincinnati outshot Miami 4-3 on shots on target.
–Field Level Media
