Inter Miami CF beat New York City FC 2-0 on Wednesday night at Nu Stadium, with Germán Berterame opening the scoring in the 20th minute and Rodrigo De Paul adding a second in first-half stoppage time. The official MLS match recap also credited goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair with preserving the clean sheet by making a late penalty save.
The result gave Inter Miami another important Eastern Conference win in a match that already carried postseason significance before kickoff. In its official pre-match preview, the club said Miami entered the night second in the East with 49 points and could strengthen its playoff position with a win over NYCFC.
How Inter Miami secured the result
Miami took control in the first half and converted two of its most important moments before the break. Berterame put the hosts ahead in the 20th minute, and De Paul doubled the lead in stoppage time before halftime, giving Inter Miami a 2-0 advantage it would not relinquish.
New York City FC stayed in the match long enough to threaten a comeback, but Miami protected its lead and held the visitors scoreless. St. Clair's late penalty save was a decisive moment in securing the shutout, according to MLS's official summary.
Inter Miami's starting XI vs. NYCFC
Before the match, Inter Miami officially announced its starting lineup in a 4-3-3 shape. Lionel Messi captained the side and started alongside Luis Suárez and Berterame in attack.
Inter Miami's starters were Dayne St. Clair in goal; Gonzalo Luján, Casemiro, Micael and Sergio Reguilón in defense; Rodrigo De Paul, David Ayala and MatÃas Galarza in midfield; and Messi, Suárez and Berterame across the front line.
Cristian González's bench included Rocco RÃos Novo, Ian Fray, Maximiliano Falcón, Fricio Caicedo, Telasco Segovia, Alexander Shaw, Santiago Morales, Daniel Pinter and Riquelme Fillipi.
Messi, Berterame and De Paul headline Miami's key contributors
Although Messi did not get on the scoresheet, his presence remained central to the match as Inter Miami's captain and one of the focal points of the attack. Berterame delivered the breakthrough goal, while De Paul added the second, giving Miami the cushion it needed before halftime.
The match also underlined the depth of Miami's attack. With Messi, Suárez and Berterame all in the starting front three, Inter Miami again fielded one of its strongest attacking lineups in a stretch of matches that has become increasingly important late in the regular season.
What the win means
Miami came into the match on the back of a 4-0 win over D.C. United and used another strong home performance to keep momentum on its side. In the club's official preview, Inter Miami said a victory over NYCFC was one of the scenarios that could help drive its push toward a third straight postseason appearance.
Because standings and clinching outcomes can change quickly around a full MLS matchday, the most conservative reading is that Wednesday's win significantly boosted Miami's playoff position. What is clear from the official records is that Inter Miami claimed all three points, kept a clean sheet and got goals from Berterame and De Paul in a valuable 2-0 result over New York City FC.
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