Nashville (BN24) – Lionel Messi delivered another moment of magic with a thunderous late goal, but it wasn’t enough to save Inter Miami from defeat. Nashville SC held on for a 2-1 home win on Saturday night, forcing a decisive Game 3 in their MLS first-round playoff series.
Messi, who scored twice in Miami’s 3-1 victory in Game 1, found himself contained for much of the night at Geodis Park. First-half goals from Sam Surridge and Josh Bauer gave Nashville control, snapping a 10-match winless streak against Miami dating back to the Argentine star’s arrival more than two years ago.
The teams will now return to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, next weekend for the deciding match, with a place in the Eastern Conference semifinals at stake. Miami, still searching for its first-ever playoff series victory, now faces elimination after dropping Game 2 despite Messi’s brilliance.
Miami’s struggles began early when goalkeeper Rocco Ríos Novo brought down Surridge inside the box, conceding a penalty. Surridge, who finished the regular season second to Messi in the Golden Boot race, calmly converted from the spot to put Nashville ahead.
Despite creating several promising chances, Miami failed to capitalize. Messi shot wide after a rebound from Nashville goalkeeper Joe Willis, while Luis Suárez struck the post moments later after rounding Willis but running out of angle.
Nashville punished those misses just before halftime when Hany Mukhtar’s corner kick slipped through traffic, allowing defender Josh Bauer to tap home from close range and double the lead.
Miami dominated possession after the break but couldn’t find a breakthrough until Messi’s 84th-minute strike — a trademark left-footed rocket into the top corner from the edge of the box — reignited hope. The goal was Messi’s eighth in four matches and his sixth against Nashville this season.
Still, Nashville’s defense held firm through a tense final stretch to secure its first win over Inter Miami in more than two years. For Messi and his star-studded teammates — including Luis Suárez, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba — it now all comes down to Game 3 in Fort Lauderdale, where Miami must win to avoid another early playoff exit.
