Inter Miami's performance showed a team that is confident, ambitious, and aware of the level they are reaching at the end of the season. The Florida-based team is in a remarkable collective phase and once again demonstrated that it has offensive variants capable of breaking down any defensive setup. In the Eastern Conference semifinals, Lionel Messi scored a brilliant header and provided three assists. All four of Inter Miami's goals were scored by Lionel Messi, Mateo Silvetti, and Tadeo Allende, who scored a brace and solidified himself as one of the great discoveries of the Mascherano era. Cincinnati attempted to close down spaces and apply a zonal marking scheme on Messi, but the Argentine's mobility and the active participation of the midfielders generated constant breaks. Cincinnati was overwhelmed and found no answers in any area of the pitch. In the 29th minute of the second half, Allende appeared again in an attacking position and sealed his brace with a cross-shot that made it 4-0. In the 19th minute, the opening goal arrived: Messi connected with a header inside the penalty area after a precise cross from the left flank, surprising the opposition's last line of defense. In the second half, Mascherano's team maintained the intensity and quickly extended their lead. Five minutes later, Tadeo Allende made it 3-0 with a powerful shot from a rebound. The team showed a capacity for offensive resolution that left the hosts without answers, whose planning ultimately proved insufficient against the individual brilliance of the visiting key players. Throughout the first half, Inter Miami imposed a clear territorial dominance and managed the game's tempo intelligently.
