Three Up, Three Down: Who shined, who didn’t as Cincinnati ends Inter Miami’s playoff hopes

Five teams remain alive in the quest for the final two Eastern Conference playoff spots, but Inter Miami is not among them. A 1-0 loss to FC Cincinnati paired with wins by Charlotte, Montreal and New York Red Bulls eliminated the Herons.

Tomas Aviles, B-

The 19-year-old was subbed out for Messi in the 55th minute, which I thought was unfortunate. The young Argentine was active on both ends of the field, almost scoring when his volley hit the crossbar off a first-half set piece. His younger legs also helped him get back more quickly to snuff Cincinnati breaks. He still is prone to a teenager’s mistakes, but Avilés has a really high ceiling.

9' | Toto creates a chance early off the crossbar 😳🤯#MIAvCIN | 0-0 pic.twitter.com/aogoOmlhCU
— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) October 7, 2023

Aviles, or as I like to refer to him... "Baby Face" had quality minutes against Cincinnati. And, yes, it was unfortunate that he had to be subbed off for Messi as I could think of other candidates that should have been taken off the pitch. Mistakes will be there for a bit, but I certainly can't wait to watch this kid play when those mistakes are minimized.