Watching Miami dismantle Nashville might have been annoying to believers in the MLS’ level-field, one-size-fits-all philosophy. But Miami is raising the bar for a league that has made progress but still lacks quality. For soccer to succeed, the league needs players that capture the imagination, and also make the game look easy — in other words, highly-skilled performers. Austerity, though, ends up stifling the league’s ambition in player acquisition, and that is reflected on the field.

Another noticeable difference in the teams was illustrated by Javier Mascherano’s selection of center defenders — 5-foot, 9-inch Noah Allen and 5-10½ Maximiliano Falcon — strong on agility and mobility, basically in their coach’s image (Mascherano started as a midfielder and ended up in the back). Meanwhile, Nashville’s Jack Maher and Walker Zimmerman got chances to floor Messi, but their errors and relative awkwardness proved costly.

Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano directs his players during Saturday’s win.Michael Laughlin/Associated Press

Since its inception, MLS has mostly rewarded physicality over finesse, and sometimes a team like Miami will come along to show there is a better way. Lately, there has been talk of Neymar joining Messi but, unfortunately, Miami might be better off with an enforcer-type rather than someone sure to attract thuggery.

As for the best-of-three playoff format, it proved superfluous, to say the least. Miami outscored Nashville, 8-3, in three games, and that followed a 5-2 win in the season-finale Oct. 19. It is understood Apple TV needs content/programming, but the same teams meeting three and four times in succession is a lot.

Pulisic looks rusty in return

Christian Pulisic (thigh) has recovered, but his timing seemed off in missing a potential game-winner in Milan’s 2-2 tie with Parma.

Pulisic and Juventus’ Weston McKennie were not called into US camp for games against Paraguay (Nov. 15) and Uruguay (Nov. 18). Also absent: Revolution goalkeeper Matt Turner.

Christian Pulisic (right) returned to action for AC Milan in Serie A action against Parma on Saturday. PIERO CRUCIATTI/AFP via Getty Images

Picture firming up in Cup qualifying

World Cup qualifying goes to the pre-playoff wire this week. A total of 28 teams have advanced, leaving 20 places open for next year’s finals in North America.

CONCACAF:

▪ Group A — Guatemala will have home-field advantage as it attempts to overcome a one-point deficit against Panama and Suriname.

▪ Group B — Jamaica can clinch a spot with a win over Trinidad & Tobago, combined with an unlikely Curaçao loss to Bermuda. The automatic slot will probably go down to the Jamaica-Curaçao match Nov. 18.

▪ Group C — Honduras can close out the group with a win and at least a tie against Nicaragua and Costa Rica.

Europe:

▪ Group A — Germany and Slovakia are headed to a Nov. 17 showdown in Leipzig.

▪ Group B — Switzerland has the lead, and last-place Sweden is virtually out of contention.

▪ Group C — Denmark and Scotland, tied for first, meet at Hampden Park in Glasgow on Nov. 18.

▪ Group D — France can clinch the group with a win over Ukraine at Parc des Princes in Paris on Thursday.

▪ Group E — Spain has the edge on Turkey, and can clinch at least a playoff spot with a win over Georgia on Saturday.

▪ Group F — A Portugal win over Ireland in Dublin Thursday would clinch first place.

▪ Group G — Poland can stay in contention against leader Netherlands in Warsaw Thursday.

▪ Group H — Leaders Austria visits Cyprus Saturday, and plays host to second-place Bosnia and Herzegovina in Vienna on Nov. 18.

▪ Group I — Norway holds a 3-point edge and plus-16 goal differential on Italy. The teams will meet at San Siro in Milan on Nov. 18.

▪ Group J — Belgium, with a one-point edge on North Macedonia, visits Kazakhstan on Thursday and plays host to Liechtenstein on Nov. 18.

▪ Group K — England has already locked up the group, becoming the first Euro country to qualify. Albania, with a one-point edge over Serbia for second place and a playoff spot, visits Andorra Thursday and plays host to England on Nov. 16.

▪ Group L — Croatia can win the group with victories over the Faroe Islands on Friday and Montenegro on Monday, Nov. 17.

Causey causes a commotion

Concord native Austin Causey made the difference as the New York Red Bulls II took a penalty kick shootout win over the Colorado Rapids 2 after playing to a 3-3 tie in the MLS Next Pro final in Harrison, N.J.

Causey, 24, son of former Revolution keeper Jeff Causey, saved one attempt, and the Red Bulls converted three times in penalties. Former US national team midfielder Michael Bradley, making his coaching debut, guided the Red Bulls to an 11-4-4 record.

South Shore showdown in NWSL playoffs

Gotham FC’s 2-1 overtime win over the Kansas City Current in the NSWL playoffs included a South Shore subplot, involving Gotham’s Lilly Reale (Hingham) and KC’s Ally Sentnor (Thayer Academy via Hanson).

Gotham’s 121st-minute decider was provided by Katy Stengel, a former Boston Breakers forward. Stengel, along with current teammate Midge Purce (ex-Harvard), competed in the Breakers final game in 2017, a 4-3 loss to Sky Blue FC (the franchise moved to Gotham in 2021). Another ex-Breaker, Rose Lavelle, now Gotham’s captain, missed the 2017 finale with an injury.

Frank Dell’Apa can be reached at frankdellapa@gmail.com.