A Cinderella story may have ended for Birmingham Legion as they lost 1-0 to Inter Miami after a single goal from Nicolas Stefanelli in the second half. But the USL Championship side should hold their heads high. To make it to the final eight teams of the tournament and drop an exciting match is always a tough pill to swallow. But Inter Miami are just two wins away from their first title in club history and will now have it Lionel Messi to push them over the hump.
In the next round, they face each other F.C. Cincinnati, who lead the Eastern Conference and Supporters’ Shield rankings as the team with the most points in the league. But between now and August 23, a lot can change. It is expected that Messi will be at Inter by then. It is believed that he will have found his feet well before the semi-finals, as Tata Martino, who has already won a major league soccer award, could be his new coach.
In fact, for a club that has yet to win a trophy in its history, Inter Miami could be in contention for a treble this season. Although they are in last place in the Eastern Conference, the team is only six points away from a place in the playoffs, and if they can close that gap, they cannot be ruled out entering the MLS Cup. They will also compete in the Leauges Cup, a new competition featuring domestic and Liga MX teams, for the chance to win the Open Cup.
For a team that has already sacked manager Phil Neville this season and has fallen to the bottom of the league, it would be remarkable for them to win one trophy, let alone three. But with Messi, nothing is out of the question for Inter Miami.
