Miami blast NYCFC to Reach first MLS Cup final

Inter Miami reached its first MLS Cup final after beating New York City FC 5–1 in Fort Lauderdale. Tadeo Allende bagged a hat-trick, and Lionel Messi slipped in the pass that tipped the night Miami’s way. The score kept climbing, but the real shift happened early. Miami pressed high, pushed the tempo, and never allowed New York to breathe.

Miami got the jump within minutes and never eased off. They zipped the ball around, shut down pockets of space, and owned the rhythm from the opening whistle. Once the first goal went in, the momentum swung completely to Mascherano’s side. It didn’t swing back.

Allende Strikes, Messi Changes the Picture

Allende’s first goal came in the 14th minute, a run timed so well that New York’s back line froze. His header for the second arrived soon after, and suddenly, Miami had room to play. Confidence spread right through the front line as New York struggled to hold their shape.

Justin Haak’s header in the 37th minute briefly dragged New York into the contest. They came out after halftime with a clearer idea and, to be fair, they enjoyed a short spell of pressure. Julian Fernandez nearly turned it into something bigger when he forced Rocco Rios Novo into a sharp, one-handed stop in the 66th minute. Gasps went up around the press box. For a moment, it felt like things might tilt. That moment mattered. Miami broke forward straight after, and the match swung again.

Messi made the next play. Rodrigo De Paul and Jordi Alba worked the ball down the left, and Messi threaded a pass that split New York’s back line. Mateo Silvetti met it cleanly and tucked the shot away for 3–1. The assist arrived at a point when Miami needed a steady hand. Mascherano called it “extraordinary” and praised Messi for settling the team when the match still had tension in it.

Telasco Segovia smashed one in the 83rd minute to stretch the lead and settle the nerves around the ground. A few minutes later, Allende pounced on a loose ball and buried his third. Same calm finish, same sharp touch. You could almost hear the crowd exhale.

Mascherano Highlights Collective Strength

The result came right after Miami’s 4–0 win over FC Cincinnati. Another clean, straightforward outing. Their structure looked tighter, and players moved with far more confidence than they did earlier this year. Mascherano didn’t hide it. He said the squad shifted their mindset after that rough mid-season dip, adding that the group “held together when it mattered.”

Defensive errors once cost them key points, but the current run shows a steadier unit. Messi’s presence remained central even without a goal. His movement guided several attacking sequences, and his involvement in the third goal came just when New York seemed closest to shifting momentum.

Miami will host the MLS Cup final at DRV PNK Stadium on Saturday, facing either San Diego FC or Vancouver Whitecaps. Form, confidence, and home advantage now sit with them.

One match remains. Miami’s attack looks balanced, the midfield holds its shape, and the squad carries belief in every line. The club now stands a single step from the biggest achievement in its history.