Inter Miami, NYCFC advance to MLS Eastern Conference Final

But while Messi's opener stole the headlines, it was coach Javier Mascherano's tinkering that stole the match. The Argentinian benched his former Barcelona teammate, Luis Suarez, and started 19-year-old Mateo Silvetti in his place. It was a controversial call and one that could've backfired spectacularly, but Mascherano knew what he was doing: Silvetti brought propulsive movement and eye-popping dynamism to Miami's attack. He repaid Mascherano's trust in him by scoring a goal and assisting another.

This was the best Miami looked all season, and crucially, it was the best Miami was coached all season, too. Mascherano's lineup changes and substitutions were brilliant. He's received plenty of criticism from MLS fans during his tenure, but it's clear that he's learning and growing right alongside his Miami team.

New York City FC (5) beats Philadelphia Union (1) 1-0

NYCFC limped into this semifinal with a piecemeal roster and a dream. Two of its key players, midfielder Andres Perea and striker Alonso Martinez, missed this game due to injury; a third, midfielder Aiden O'Neill, missed it due to suspension. Head coach Pascal Jansen was forced to reshuffle his lineup and cobble together a winning team from nothing... away from home against the top team in the league, no less.

It looked like a tall order, but Jansen managed just fine. He played a daring 4-4-2 led by Maxi Morales (38 years old and in his ninth season with the club) and Nicolas Fernandez Mercau (25 and only on the books since July). It's a bit too simplistic to suggest that Morales represents NYCFC's past while Fernandez Mercau represents its future, but as the two combined for the game's only goal, it certainly felt like the graceful passing of the team's baton.

Fernandez Mercau has been a revelation since he arrived in New York. His transfer went under the radar, dwarfed as it was by Son Heung-min's and Thomas Müller's, but his "Why not?" creativity in the center of the park has lifted NYCFC into the upper echelon of the Eastern Conference. Philadelphia had no idea how to handle him.

This result will go down as a bitter disappointment in Philly. The team could have, and probably should have, performed better against NYCFC's makeshift 11, but coach Bradley Carnell found himself utterly outfoxed by Jansen in the end. It was a stunning coaching performance from one of MLS's brightest leaders.