No goal for Messi as Inter Miami secures draw with FC Cincinnati in MLS

Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi reacts following an unsuccessful scoring drive during the second half of an MLS match against FC Cincinnati. | Photo Credit: AP

Riquelme Fillipi tallied his first Major League Soccer goal in the 90th minute to cap a late-game barrage of scores as Lionel Messi and Inter Miami escaped with a 2-2 draw with FC Cincinnati on Wednesday night.

Luis Suarez scored in the 61st minute to give Inter Miami a 1-0 lead, and then the reigning MLS Cup champion needed some late-game heroics to salvage a point.

It still fell to third in the Eastern Conference, after New England beat Red Bull New York 3-2 on Wednesday.

That gave New England 58 points, two ahead of Miami with two matches left — including one between those clubs in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on Sunday.

Evander had a brilliant chance to win it for Cincinnati with a shot from around the penalty spot on what became the last real chance of the match in stoppage time — but Inter Miami defender Ian Fray got his body in front of the ball to deflect it away.

ALSO READ | Chinese brands cut ties with Kylian Mbappe over ‘Chinese dictator’ remark

Cincinnati’s ensuing corner kick was harmless and time expired.

Kenji Mboma Dem scored in the 80th minute and Samuel Gidi got his first MLS goal six minutes later for Cincinnati, which is still aiming to clinch a playoff spot. Gidi scored on a counterattack from the top of the box, and Cincinnati — briefly — looked like it was going to pull off a stunner.

Fillipi saved the day for Inter Miami, connecting from the left side of the box. It was nearly the same spot that Suárez scored from earlier.

Sunday becomes massive for Inter Miami. Messi’s team will travel to play the Revolution, with the outcome certain to go a long way not only to determining which team gets the No. 2 seed in the East — but potentially the No. 2 seed in the MLS Cup playoffs.

That will be the next-to-last regular season game for Miami, which closes November 7 at home against Charlotte.