Lionel Messi had two assists and converted in a shootout to lead Inter Miami over MLS-leading Cincinnati 5-4 on penalty kicks after a 3-3 draw and into a U.S. Open Cup final against Houston.

When Major League Soccer and its players came to agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement back in February, there was a genuine feeling of accomplishment on both sides. Those pre-pandemic positive vibes are now gone, at least in how the players feel toward the league and ownership. The Major League Soccer Players Association ratified a revised CBA this week that will allow the league to resume this summer with a tournament in Florida but they did so with bitter feelings about the strategies used by MLS. FC Cincinnati player rep Nick Hagglund told reporters the lockout threat didnt create panic but was taken seriously by the vast majority of players. MLS players had a median salary of $163,750 in 2019, according to the union salary survey.