<div style="text-align: justify; "><span style="font-size: 1rem;">FC Cincinnati led the way into the Major League Soccer playoffs on Wednesday as the slim post-season hopes of Lionel Messi's Inter Miami took a hit with a goalless draw against Nashville.</span><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Second-half goals from Luciano Acosta and Brandon Vazquez lifted Cincinnati to a 2-1 victory at Atlanta, where Colombian Edwin Mosquera's first MLS goal had put the hosts ahead in the 10th minute.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The victory was Cincinnati's first at Mercedes-Benz Stadium and took the Eastern Conference leaders to 57 points and the first berth in the MLS Cup playoffs with eight matches remaining in the regular season.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Miami, meanwhile, made little headway in their unlikely bid to make the playoffs as they were held scoreless for the first time in the 10 games of the Messi era.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Argentine star had scored 11 goals in nine appearances since joining Inter Miami -- including their run to the Leagues Cup crown, in a US Open Cup semi-final and in his regular-season debut off the bench in New York on Saturday.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The workload may have finally caught up with him on Wednesday as he was unable to work the magic again in front of another star-studded crowd at a blustery DRV PNK Stadium, where boxing great Floyd Mayweather and FIFA chief Gianni Infantino were among the spectators.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The draw left Miami 10 points out of the final playoff spot with 10 games remaining</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">They travel across the country to take on MLS Cup champions Los Angeles FC on Sunday.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Messi and former Barcelona teammate Sergio Busquets both started the game after coming off the bench in the 60th minute in New York.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Despite controlling possession throughout a frustrating first half, Miami struggled to create real chances against Nashville's disciplined defense.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Miami fans were on the edge of their seats after Messi drew a foul on Nashville's Dax McCarty in the 60th minute and stepped up to take a free kick, but his effort to the bottom left corner was gathered in by Nashville goalkeeper Elliott Panicco.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Nashville's Hany Mukhtar had a goal erased by an offside call in the 69th minute.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Messi had another free kick from a dangerous position in the 83rd minute but his shot caromed harmlessly off the wall of defenders.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In Atlanta, Mosquera blasted home a deflected cross to put the hosts up early.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Acosta leveled the score with his 13th goal of the season in the 75th minute, spliting two defenders and playing a pass to Junior MOreno, who headed the ball down to Acosta who beat Atlanta keeper Brad Guzan with a one-time shot into the top corner.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Five minutes later Acosta collected the ball in midfield sent it out to Alvaro Barreal on the left wing. Barreal's cross found Vazquez, whose fifth goal of the season sealed Cincinnati's 17th victory.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Cincinnati edged even closer to the MLS single-season points record of 73, set by the New England Revolution in 2021. AFP</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>