Inter Miami and Nashville SC kicked off their Eastern Conference playoff journey on Friday night in Major League Soccer, with Lionel Messi scoring twice in a 3–1 win at Chase Stadium.
After the traumatic experience of the 2024 season — when the Herons finished first in the regular season but were then eliminated in the opening round of the playoffs by Atlanta United — Inter Miami know they must approach these matchups with maximum focus.
However, in the opening minutes, they showed some defensive lapses that could have proved costly. Noah Allen lost possession dangerously to Jacob Shaffelburg, who broke away toward Rocco Rios Novo’s goal, but his shot lacked precision, allowing the goalkeeper to make a comfortable save.
In that context, Inter Miami found the opener before they had fully settled into the match. In the 19th minute, Lionel Messi received the ball in the attacking half with enough space to drive toward the box. There, he passed it to Luis Suarez, who took his time to wait for Messi to reach a good scoring position, then delivered a perfect assist that allowed the Argentine forward to head home the first goal of the night.
Inter Miami could have extended their lead before halftime
Messi’s goal seemed to completely change the flow of the match, as from that moment on, Javier Mascherano’s team took control, dominating possession and preventing their opponents from finding any rhythm. Coincidentally, Nashville struggled to create dangerous chances or even win the ball back from the hosts.
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In that scenario, the Herons could have extended their lead with a couple of clear opportunities. First through Ian Fray, whose shot narrowly missed. Then near the end of the first half, Suarez had a chance after a corner kick, forcing a strong save from goalkeeper Joe Willis.
The Herons’ dominance from the first half carried over after the break and was finally reflected on the scoreboard in the 61st minute, when Ian Fray sent in a cross from the right that found Tadeo Allende unmarked inside the box. The Argentine winger met the ball with a header and made it 2–0.
Messi scores again
With a two-goal lead, Inter Miami focused on controlling the match and avoiding any scares, running down the clock to secure the win. In stoppage time, Messi took advantage of a mistake by goalkeeper Joe Willis, pouncing on the loose ball inside the box and calmly finishing to make it 3–0. A few minutes later, Hany Mukhtar scored for Nashville with a free kick.
