NEW YORK: According to an AFP report published by Al Jazeera, Inter Miami beat New York City FC 2-0 on Wednesday to book their place in the Major League Soccer playoffs for a third consecutive season.
Lionel Messi was involved in both first-half goals. In the 20th minute he controlled the ball outside the box and fed Rodrigo De Paul, whose looping diagonal found Luis Suarez on the byline. Suarez rolled it across goal for German Berterame to tap in his first goal since May.
With the final kick of the half, Messi drew three defenders on a quick counter and flicked the ball with the outside of his left foot to De Paul, who smashed it high past the goalkeeper.
The second half was goalless. As the clock hit 90 minutes, New York City goalkeeper Matt Freese made a diving save to tip a long-range De Paul strike onto the post, and Miami keeper Dayne St Clair saved a stoppage-time penalty.
The win gave head coach Cristian "Kily" Gonzalez his first back-to-back victories since taking charge last month and guaranteed second-placed Miami at least a wild-card spot with five games left. "There's a lot to improve, but we're making progress little by little," Gonzalez said.
It was Miami's second straight clean sheet after none in their previous 10 matches. Messi had scored twice on Saturday, while New York City have won just one of their last 11 MLS games.