An 89th-minute goal from Lionel Messi was too little, too late as Nashville SC defeated Inter Miami 2-1 on Saturday to stay alive in their Major League Soccer (MLS) Cup round one playoff series.
It was Nashville’s first win over Inter Miami since May 2023, snapping a 10-match winless streak.
First-half goals from Sam Surridge and Josh Bauer put Nashville in control at a rainy Geodis Park in Tennessee, and the Miami side, led by Argentinian superstar Messi, could not find a way to respond.
Surridge converted a penalty in the ninth minute to put the hosts on top, slotting a low shot to the right of diving Miami goalkeeper Rocco Rios Novo.
Nashville were awarded the spot kick after Rios Novo hesitated coming off his line against a charging Surridge.
Bauer put Nashville up 2-0 on the stroke of half-time, sliding in a left-footed shot off a corner floated in by Hany Mukhtar.
Miami opened the second half in determined style, but Luis Suarez’s close-range shot in the 66th minute was parried by Nashville goalkeeper Joe Willis.
Miami regained control of the ball, but Ian Fray’s quick attempt from inside the area was blocked.
Messi stepped it up in the waning minutes, his awkwardly angled shot from the right in the 85th minute blocked, and a blast from the centre of the box saved in the 86th before he found the back of the net in the 89th.
Rodrigo De Paul found Messi at the top right corner of the box, and the newly crowned MLS Golden Boot winner wrong-footed his defender and fired a left-footed shot into the top right corner to cut the deficit to one.
Miami had seized control of the series with a 3-1 Game 1 win, fuelled by a Messi brace, but now they will have to host a decisive third game in Florida on Saturday.
It is an unwelcome reminder of last year, when Miami went into the playoffs, having posted the best record in the regular season, and won their opening game against Atlanta United, only for Atlanta to win the next two and send them packing.
The winner of the series will play either Columbus or Cincinnati. Cincinnati take a 1-0 series lead into their Game 2 on Sunday.
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