With the Leagues Cup now behind us, we’re officially entering the final stretch of the season. New players are making their impact—both positive and negative—in places like Minnesota, New England, St. Louis, and Carson. Meanwhile, both teams from New York missed valuable opportunities, and Dallas is showing impressive play from defense to attack.
There’s a lot to discuss, but let’s first turn our attention to Inter Miami, a team that seems poised to make the Supporters’ Shield race nearly irrelevant:
Although the Herons did not officially clinch anything on Saturday night, the race for the Supporters’ Shield remains competitive. In fact, they didn’t even extend their lead, as their 2-0 victory against visiting FC Cincinnati was matched by the Galaxy’s 2-0 win over Atlanta. Miami entered the match with a four-point advantage and left with the same lead.
However, Miami has a game in hand and a more manageable schedule ahead compared to the Galaxy, who will face playoff teams in six of their final seven matches, with the exception being a difficult away game against St. Louis next week. Additionally, as Tata Martino mentioned in the postgame press conference, they are welcoming back the greatest player in the history of the sport, who has been training and is expected to return soon. The team has demonstrated resilience in handling red cards and adapting their tactics as necessary, as evidenced by their performance against Cincinnati.
Answers seem abundant throughout the roster. Miami has shown this consistency all season, aside from a few minor hiccups that have become increasingly rare as Martino’s squad has grown healthier and more cohesive.
If there were signs of a decline, they likely would have surfaced by now. The absence of key players, such as Leo Messi, Luis Suárez, Mati Rojas, and Diego Gómez during the Copa América could have been detrimental. There could have also been issues regarding playing time creating tension within the squad. Additionally, Sergio Busquets, a masterful yet undervalued workhorse, could have faced physical breakdowns, or the defense might have faltered.
None of these scenarios have unfolded. The most concerning moment came during their last encounter with Cincinnati, which resulted in a staggering 6-1 defeat for them.
“I believe they were ready for this match,” remarked head coach Pat Noonan, who was suspended for Saturday night’s game—
Following that victory in July, which he described as his team’s finest performance of the year, he remarked, “Certainly, they comprehend the significance and implications, yet one must maintain a level of focus and grasp how we plan to approach this game in order to achieve success.”
This time, Cincy’s focus was clearly missing. In contrast, Miami emerged determined, unyielding, and merciless, with Suárez managing to penetrate the defense in under 30 seconds:
