Inter Miami CF is in the midst of a dream start to the season, and they’re not about to let up now. The Herons have already qualified for the final of the Leagues Cup, and now they’re only one win away to book their place in the finals of the US Open Cup. In their way stands FC Cincinnati, a team that is well-equipped with sheer motivation & talented players.

As the anticipation builds for the showdown between FC Cincinnati and Inter Miami CF, all eyes are on Lionel Messi. The Argentine superstar, who has been all over the headlines since joining the Miami side and has been a huge driving force for the club’s recent successes, is now facing a daunting warning from the rivals as they fuel up for the face-off.

FC Cincinnati is ready for the challenge posed by Inter Miami

Inter Miami CF has to travel to FC Cincinnati’s TQL Stadium to take on the best team in the league in front of some of its best and most vocal home crowd. The rampaging Ohio side is on top of the leaderboard for the Eastern Conference, with an eight-point gap between their closest chasers, and a full 33 points ahead of Inter Miami.

FC Cincinnati boasts the likes of its star players, midfielder and captain, Luciano Acosta, and midfielder, Alvaro Barreal. With both of the players sharing their hometown of Buenos Aires, they’ll be looking for an exciting game against their idol and one of the all-time best players of the sport, Lionel Messi.

Acosta spoke about the upcoming match against Inter Miami. He said, “It’s not just another game. This is a special game. It’s a semifinal, it’s against Messi. But overall it’s against Inter Miami, who are in really good form right now,” as quoted by the official website of FC Cincinnati.

FC Cincinnati’s Argentine natives are preparing to play against the World Cup winner in a balanced and exciting way. They know very well that both personal and club glory will be on the line when they face the Herons in the semifinal.

“It’s a dream. It’s a great opportunity. The motivation is higher, not just because it’s Messi, but because it’s a semifinal and we’re committed to advancing. We want to win. We want to win and get to the final,” Barreal said of the chance to compete for a trophy.

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“It’s an opportunity that I get to play against him [Messi], but we’re prepared. To play against him, it’s gonna be very hard. He plays on another level … you just have to be prepared for the big moments. You have to prepare as a team, not just to play as one,” Acosta added.

Lionel Messi is in the hunt for his first silverware with Inter Miami CF

Messi has been in sensational form since joining Inter Miami, as he has scored a total of nine goals in six matches for the club. The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner is the team’s talisman and he’ll be the key to Inter Miami’s hopes of getting their hands on their first-ever trophy.

Inter Miami has already made history this season by becoming the first-ever MLS team to qualify for the Leagues Cup final after they handed a defeat to Philadelphia Union FC in the semi-finals of the tournament. The Herons are targeting another final in their sight when they face FC Cincinnati in the US Open Cup semifinal.

The Lamar Hunt US Open Cup is the oldest ongoing national soccer competition in the United States, and it is a trophy that Inter Miami is desperate to win. With Lionel Messi in their ranks, the club is more than determined to make their mark on the history of the competition. The Argentine will be focused on winning his first silverware with Inter Miami and registering another trophy to his collection.

Inter Miami will need Messi at his best if they are to win the Open Cup and register their first win in the historic competition. Inter Miami CF will face FC Cincinnati at TQL Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup semifinal on 23rd August, Wednesday.

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Do you think Messi will win his first trophy with Inter Miami CF days after joining the club? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!