Most impressively, the Herons have accomplished all this with Messi absent for nearly three months. Due to international duty and injury, the Argentine GOAT hasn’t played for his club since June 1, missing eight league matches – and Miami won seven of them, crafting a much sturdier collective and plumbing the squad’s lower reaches to gain key contributions from youngsters and role players.

As strong as Messi’s gravitational pull remains, both on and off the pitch, this team has learned how to win without their talisman. It’s a tribute to both Martino’s work and a far more balanced roster, overhauled on the fly by chief soccer officer and sporting director Chris Henderson.

All of this makes Messi’s impending return that much more exciting for IMCF and their supporters – and conversely, ominous for the rest of MLS.

“Leo, like I said the other day, I can’t tell you exactly what time, but he’s already on the field. He is working with his physical therapist, he’s out of the medical ward, he is training with a ball,” said Martino postgame.

“So he has to get back in shape or recover most of his fitness that any player loses when they are out for five or six weeks, and to feel confident that his injury is behind him. But it is something that I believe is not very far from happening.”

Inter Miami clinched a slot in the 2024 Major League Soccer playoffs after triumphing 2-0 over FC Cincinnati on Saturday night in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, thanks to two goals from Luis Suárez.

Despite a red card to Tomás “Toto” Avilés late in the first half at Chase Stadium, the South Florida side saw out the win in the second half against second-place Cincinnati.

Miami was again without Lionel Messi, who was watching on from the stands along with seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady. Messi has featured in just 12 of Miami’s 26 MLS games this season and is still recovering from a ankle ligament injury suffered in Argentina’s win over Colombia in the Copa América final on July 14.

Miami coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino said Friday that Messi would return before the end of the regular season.

The Herons return to the postseason for the first time since 2022, after failing to qualify last year when concluding the campaign in 14th place on the Eastern Conference table with just 34 points in 34 games.

The top seven teams from each conference qualify automatically for the round one best-of-three playoff series, which kicks off on Oct. 26. Each series will see the higher seed host the first game, before playing the second away and returning for the third match if it’s necessary.

Inter Miami will host at least one playoff match at Chase Stadium.

Following the first round, the playoffs will take a break to accommodate the November FIFA international window before resuming play on Nov. 23 for the conference semifinals. MLS Cup will be held on Dec. 7 at the home of the higher-ranked participant.

Inter Miami now sits in first place in the Eastern Conference with 56 points in 26 games, extending its lead over Cincinnati to eight points. With eight regular-season matches left to play, Miami also leads the race for the 2024 Supporters’ Shield and has the possibility to set a new team points record.

Rain and possibly strong thunderstorms will plague South Florida through the weekend as a tropical wave near Cuba moves slowly north, forecasters said on Saturday.

The National Weather Service expects that most rain showers and thunderstorms will develop in the afternoon and evening before lessening in the overnight hours. The thunderstorms could range from strong to marginally severe.

By 1:30 p.m. Saturday, the inclement weather was already starting to impact parts of South Florida.

A flood advisory was issued for metropolitan Miami-Dade — including Miami, Coral Gables, Westchester and Doral — until 2:45 p.m. Forecasters say minor flooding is occurring or about to start in the area from the between two and four inches of rain fall, up to another inch of rain could come done.

The Upper Keys is also under a flood advisory until 4:30 p.m., with emphasis on areas between Key Largo and Windley Key. Between one and two inches of rain has fallen, with another possible inch on the way.

The coming on and off rain showers are due to a tropical wave that is slowly moving north, affecting Florida.