FC Cincinnati summited a protracted Playoff Mountain with its Brenner-fueled Game 3 victory over Columbus two weekends ago. And while the next Playoff Mountain doesn’t possess the acrimony associated with a postseason rendition of Hell Is Real, it is a Messi Mountain. It’s decorated and motivated and will demand another “die with the boots on” performance from the Orange and Blue.
The victor of Sunday evening’s Eastern Conference Semifinal duel in the West End advances to face the winner of Philadelphia-New York City in the conference final. Should Cincinnati and Philadelphia prevail, FCC would travel to Chester, Pennsylvania, the weekend of November 29. Wins by Cincinnati and New York City would lead to the Garys hosting New York—who eliminated the locals in the opening round of the 2024 playoffs—at TQL Stadium.
FCC and Miami actually finished the season level on 65 points (one behind Philly), but the Garys earned the East’s No. 2 seed—and homefield advantage for Sunday’s showdown—via its 20 regular-season triumphs, one more than Miami. The Herons took down Nashville in three matches in their first-round series, avoiding back-to-back years of tripping up in the first round. A season ago, Miami earned the league’s top seed by setting a new points record (74) but was swept in the opening round by Atlanta.
This year’s Miami side appears to be a bit more well-rounded and has been battle-tested outside of league play with knockout round progression in the CONCACAF Champions Cup (semifinalists), Club World Cup (round of 16), and Leagues Cup (finalists). As such, Messi & Co. will not be intimidated by TQL Stadium or its crowd.
And while FC Cincinnati is certainly under pressure to deliver a trophy, the duress is greater for Miami, which has an empty 2025 slot in its trophy case after winning the Supporters’ Shield in 2024 and Leagues Cup in 2023. The owner of 46 trophies for club and country in his career, Messi rarely goes a entire calendar year sans hardware. There’s also the matter of Miami owner Jorge Mas dropping a record $50 million in player salary to fund this squad.
FCC has the opportunity to not only send Messi home empty-handed in 2025 but supply a pair of football luminaries their retirement papers. Miami leftback Jordi Alba and midfielder Sergio Busquets, titans of European football and longtime Messi teammates with FC Barcelona, are calling it quits whenever the season ends. Should the Garys prevail, it will be the second straight match they dropped the curtain on the MLS careers of two league luminaries: Columbus’ Game 3 loss was the last MLS match of retiring four-time MLS Cup-winning midfielder Darlington Nagbe’s career, while Crew Head Coach Wilfried Nancy purportedly will be the next manager of Scottish power Celtic.
In order to continue its Retirement Tour, FC Cincinnati must muzzle Messi, a task clubs across the globe have struggled to do since George W. Bush’s first term. After registering 36 goal contributions in 19 league matches in 2024, Messi tallied 48 total contributions in 28 games in 2025. He’s ridiculous. But the GOAT isn’t a solo cat; no team came within 13 of Miami’s 81 goals in league play this season. The Herons can be had defensively, though; of the eight teams to qualify for the Eastern Conference’s first round, only Chicago surrendered more goals.
Busquets, with his tempo and calm, and Alba, a walking assist along the left flank, remain crucial cogs in Miami’s setup. Luis Suarez, another ex-Barcelona star, provided 20 goal contributions at striker. The quartet are bouyed by a talented supporting cast, notably midfielders Tadeo Allende (11 goals) and Rodrigo de Paul, an engine room who completed a shock move from Spanish power Atletico Madrid over the summer.
FCC has enjoyed success against Miami in recent seasons, though Messi hasn’t always suited up. The two clubs played twice in 11 days in July. In one of its best showings of the season, FCC throttled the Herons 3-0 in the West End before drawing with Messi-less Miami in the reverse fixture. A 6-1 smashing of Miami (sans Messi and Alba) was Cincinnati’s top showing in 2024, but in a 2023 U.S. Open semifinal content FCC blew a two-goal second-half lead to Messi’s Pink Steamroller and fell in penalty kicks. A history of success and sorrow.
At times, Sunday’s matchup will remind viewers of the Columbus series. Miami will own possession, and Cincinnati will defend quite deep at times. The difference will lie with the club’s respective No. 10s. Can Evander, brilliant in the teams’ first 2025 clash, rebound from an underwhelming showing against Columbus? Can he avoid being sucked into an MVP Finalist-off vs. Messi and simply play his game? If Evander can make FC Cincinnati hum on the break, the Orange and Blue can turn Miami into a sieve on the counterattack.
FCC has spent the season often playing below its talent level. They’ll need to desperately raise their effort to conquer Messi Mountain, but it’s a task within reach. Sunday night will be electrifying. Make sure to enjoy it!
Grant Freking writes FC Cincinnati coverage for Cincinnati Magazine. You can follow him on X at @GrantFreking.
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