Inter Miami blank FC Cincinnati, clinch playoff spot

Luis Suarez collected a brace in the first six minutes of Saturday night's match as CF Inter Miami clinched a spot in the MLS playoffs, blanking Cincinnati FC 2-0 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Miami (17-4-5, 56 points) opened an eight-point lead on Cincinnati (15-8-3, 48 points) in the East and avenged a 6-1 loss on July 6 at Cincinnati, where it played without six starters and had a seventh starter red-carded in the second half.

Suarez was one of the missing six that night. So was fellow star Lionel Messi, who sat out this one as well with a right ankle injury suffered last month during the Copa America championship match. But Messi's presence wasn't needed in the rematch.

With legendary former NFL quarterback Tom Brady looking on, Suarez put Miami ahead to stay only 30 seconds into the fixture. Marcelo Weigandt crossed from right to left and Suarez settled the ball in the middle of the box, then beat goalie Roman Celentano with a clinical finish inside the right post.

After scoring the fastest goal in franchise history, Suarez made it 2-0 in the sixth minute. Sent in on a pretty through ball by Matias Rojas, Suarez sailed down the right side and made no mistake in scoring his team-leading 14th goal of the year.

That was pretty much it for the Herons' attack as they settled into a defensive shell after Tomas Aviles picked up his second yellow card in the 42nd minute from referee Armando Villarreal. But Miami was able to hold off Cincinnati while a man down.

Not even the insertion of MLS assists leader Lucho Acosta for the second half made a difference for Cincinnati. Worse yet, Acosta picked up a yellow card, meaning he's automatically suspended for the team's Aug. 31 home match against CF Montreal due to yellow card accumulation.

Chasing the game nearly the entire night, Cincinnati enjoyed a 17-4 advantage in shots. But Miami goalie Drake Callender helped lock the result down with four second-half saves.

--Field Level Media