FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Luis Suárez scored 30 seconds into the match and again in the sixth minute and that was all goalkeeper Drake Callender needed as Inter Miami beat FC Cincinnati 2-0 on Saturday night to become the first team this season to clinch a spot in the playoffs.
Inter Miami (17-4-5) avenged a 6-1 drubbing in Cincinnati earlier this season and moved eight points ahead of second-place Cincinnati (15-8-3) in the Eastern Conference and in the Supporters’ Shield race.
Rookie defender Marcelo Weigandt picked up his first career assist and fellow rookie defender Yaniick Bright notched his second just 30 seconds into the match as Inter Miami grabbed the lead.
Suárez netted his 15th goal in his 15th start and 19th appearance in his first season with the club when he used rookie midfielder Matías Rojas’ third assist to make it 2-0.
Inter Miami was forced to play a man down from the 42nd on after defender Tomás Avilés was tagged with his second yellow card. It did not matter in the end.
Callender turned away six shots for Inter Miami to earn his fifth clean sheet of the season and first since back-to-back shutout efforts against Orlando City and D.C. United in mid-May. Callender had three saves to keep Cincinnati off the scoreboard in the first half.
Roman Celentano had one save for Cincinnati, which has lost four in a row since routing Inter Miami.
Cincinnati’s Pat Noonan, the reigning coach of the year, was unavailable. He was suspended for the match after a red-card offense prior to the Leagues Cup break. Cincinnati had a league record-tying seven-game win streak on the road end with a 3-1 loss to the New York Red Bulls before the layoff.
Inter Miami’s Jordi Alba and Diego Gómez were serving suspensions and missed the first matchup between the clubs this season. Inter Miami continued to play with superstar Lionel Messi, who is still recovering from an ankle injury suffered while playing for Argentina in the Copa America final.
Cincinnati returns home to play CF Montreal on Saturday. Inter Miami travels to play the Chicago Fire on Saturday.