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Gerardo Valenzuela opened the scoring for Cincinnati before a brace from Evander in the second half sealed the result for the hosts.
FC Cincinnati’s Pavel Bucha, right, kicks the ball away from Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi during the first half of an MLS soccer match, Wednesday, July 16, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)
Major League Soccer side Inter Miami went down to a 0-3 defeat to FC Cincinnati at the TQL Stadium in Ohio on Thursday as Lionel Messi’s run of braces came to a halt.
Gerardo Valenzuela opened the scoring for Cincinnati before a brace from Evander in the second half sealed the result for the hosts.
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Miami fielded a strong side that featured the likes of Messi, Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, but had to settle for a heavy defeat on the road.
Messi entered the game following a series of impressive performances, becoming the first player in league history to score more than one goal in five consecutive regular-season matches, with his brace against Nashville.
Messi opened the scoring with a freekick in the first half, giving the Miami-based team a slim one-goal lead at halftime. However, Nashville equalized early in the second half through Mukhtar, leveling the score against David Beckham’s side.
Messi ensured that the Herons secured all three points by intercepting a pass from the opposition goalkeeper, rounding him, and slotting the ball into the net past a sliding defender.
Messi’s streak of scoring two goals in a match began with Miami’s 4-2 victory over Montreal and continued with his double against Columbus in a 5-1 win. The Argentine World Cup winner maintained his form upon returning to MLS action following the team’s participation in the revamped edition of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025. He scored twice again in Miami’s 4-1 triumph over Montreal before his performance against New England Revolution, where he netted twice in a 2-1 win.
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