Teenage Hadebe’s Major League Soccer season came to a painful close on Sunday as FC Cincinnati suffered a humiliating 4–0 home defeat to Lionel Messi’s rampant Inter Miami at TQL Stadium.
The comprehensive loss ended Cincinnati’s playoff hopes, sending Messi and his star-studded Miami side through to the Eastern Conference semi-finals. The Argentine legend delivered a masterclass, scoring once and providing assists for all three of Miami’s other goals.
FC Cincinnati head coach Pat Noonan admitted his side had been outclassed.
“Credit to Miami — they were the better team tonight, and it’s a tough way for us to finish,” Noonan said. “I’m grateful to the players, staff and everyone who has worked so hard throughout the season. It’s difficult to end like this, but there were many positives and a lot of good people in this group.”
Messi opened the scoring with his first-ever goal against Cincinnati before fellow Argentines Mateo Silvetti and Tadeo Allende completed the rout. Noonan conceded that his team failed to cope with Miami’s movement and Messi’s influence.
“We allowed Messi too much time in dangerous areas. With the way he carries the ball and the runs their players make off him, it becomes very hard to defend,” he added. “We didn’t protect the space behind well enough, and we didn’t react quickly to their attacking runs.”
For Hadebe, the defeat brought a disappointing end to an otherwise stable season, as Miami’s quality and Messi’s brilliance proved far too much for Cincinnati on the night.