The rematch for last season’s Eastern Conference Final took place in the Bronx. Both teams have points to prove coming into the game. On one side, the hosts were looking to keep the good momentum going. While the visitors wanted to bounce back from the midweek elimination from the CONCACAF Champions Cup against Nashville. The fixture would also signal Miami’s return to the Bronx since September 2024. Back then, a draw would keep Yankee Stadium from falling to Messi’s magic. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the case this time around, but the match did leave me with good impressions looking ahead.

1- New York City FC will make a deep playoff run

While the result was not the one many hoped for, the collective image of the team showcases confidence and understanding in the manager’s tactical idea. In comparison to last season, the team can bounce back from negative results. Something that has been noticed over the first 4 games of the season. While the need for a striker is the team’s most noticeable weakness, recovering from in-game setbacks can go a long way in the decisive stages of the season. Come playoffs, it could land them in another MLS Cup final.

2- Messi can take Inter Miami CF to another MLS Cup final

The legend might be stepping into a more conservative role on the field. But whenever he gets involved, the shift within the team is more than noticeable. He was close to scoring a hat trick against New York City today, but the goal post said otherwise. Had those chances gone in, it would have changed the narrative of the game. Messi might be missing Busquets and Jordi Alba, but the chemistry he is building with Tadeo Allende and Telasco Segovia can give Miami a new lethal partnership in the final third of the field. Should that be the case, Inter Miami can return to a consecutive MLS Cup Final.

3- The “Messi- mania” is far from over

Given that this is Messi’s third season in MLS, many were under the impression that the “hype” behind Messi had finally started to fade away. However, this match against New York City FC proved everyone wrong. He was able to open Yankee Stadium to its full capacity and managed to pull a record of 45,845 people to attend the game. This adds on to yet another sold-out crowd against DC United a few weeks back.  Keep in mind, we only have 4 games in, so you can expect more of that this season. If you were in attendance, you were able to see all the excitement Messi built whenever he touched the ball or managed to build up an attacking play. His impact and influence is inevitable anywhere he goes.

4- Etihad Park will be a game changer in the New York Landscape

While Messi is directly responsible for the attendance records in Yankee Stadium, the expectations around Etihad Park continue to grow. Yes, the atmosphere in a full stadium is unmatched, but it’s not soccer-specific. Once the new stadium opens, the city will be looking to bring in the soccer culture within New York City. The main excuse for many fans not attending matches is the odd field dimensions or the fact that games are played in a baseball field. Excuses that will go away when the new stadium opens. I’m sure that we will see sold-out crowds in many of the games that will take place in Etihad Park. If anything, games like the one against Inter Miami CF should be a blueprint of what can be achieved once the stadium opens.

5- The international break is a turning point

 Once the game concluded, the narrative changed. Everyone looked at the international break as a way to regroup and look ahead. New York City FC’s unbeaten run might have ended, but this international break might be able to push them to start another streak of positive results. But it’s best to go game by game, even if the team has started the season on a high note. The break could also have counter effects, but hopefully that won’t be the case. The team now focuses on the game against St. Louis in April.