Miami playoff hopes hit, Cincinnati secure top seed

FORT LAUDERDALE: Inter Miami´s MLS playoff hopes suffered a blow on Saturday as, without the injured Lionel Messi, they drew 1-1 at home to New York City FC, while FC Cincinnati secured the top seed in the Eastern Conference with a win at Toronto and Nashville grabbed a play-off place.

Messi, who had missed Wednesday´s US Open Cup final defeat to Houston and last week´s draw in the league at Orlando, was again missing with the injury which has troubled him since mid-September. Without the Argentine and his former Barcelona team-mate Jordi Alba, who is out with a hamstring injury, Miami looked short of ideas.