Inter Miami’s Eastern Conference rivals FC Cincinnati are now tipped as favorites to repeat an MLS achievement that only David Beckham has managed.
The Ohio-based franchise took a huge step in retaining their Supporters’ Shield title with a massive 6-1 win against the Herons on Saturday, with Cincinnati overtaking Inter Miami in the standings whilst sending a statement to the rest of MLS.
With Tata Martino’s side suffering their worst league defeat in franchise history, Cincinnati showed their credentials and then some in their huge win against Inter Miami, with the title race now starting to heat up.
And league legend Sacha Kljestan now thinks Cincinnati have what it takes to match a record set by Beckham.
Cincinnati could match Inter Miami owner Beckham’s back-to-back title record
Writing for MLS’s official website, the former USA international made the bold claim that Cincinnati could be the first team to win the Supporters’ Shield back-to-back since Beckham managed just that during his time with the LA Galaxy.
DC United and the Columbus Crew have also managed back-to-back Supporters’ Shield wins, yet with the Galaxy the last side to do it in over a decade, Cincinnati could struggle to join the history books, especially with Beckham’s Inter Miami still on their tail.
Kljestan wrote on Cincinnati’s Supporters’ Shield chances: “Nobody in MLS had a better week than Cincinnati. They took all three points at DC United, then came home and absolutely smashed Inter Miami.
“Most importantly, they overtook Miami atop the table to lead the league standings. Can they be the first team since the LA Galaxy in 2010-11 to repeat as Supporters’ Shield winners? Definitely.”
Beckham needs to ensure the Herons are backed this summer in the market
Kljestan backing Cincinnati to go all the way and reclaim the Supporters’ Shield is no real surprise given how lost Inter Miami looked on Saturday at the West End Stadium, with Martino’s side powerless to stop the onslaught.
Which is why this summer, Beckham needs to ensure that the Herons are sufficiently backed in the transfer market to make the signings needed to bridge the gap between Inter Miami and Cincinnati.
Of course, reinforcements at the back are what’s needed most for the Florida franchise, and Inter Miami have the means to improve their defense into one of the best in MLS if they attack the market directly.