Come Wednesday, Nashville SC can claim relative success against Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami. In the three games against the Herons since they signed arguably the greatest soccer player of all-time, Nashville has still lost 90 minutes.
That streak is now over – and so is Nashville’s first trip to the CONCACAF Champions Cup.
Inter Miami eliminated Nashville from its first intercontinental competition with a dominant 3–1 victory at Chase Stadium in the second leg of the teams’ round of 16 series. After a 2-2 draw in the first leg last Thursday in Nashville, Miami advanced to the quarterfinals by winning the series 5-3 on aggregate.
Messi assisted his one-time Barcelona teammate Luis Suárez in the eighth minute, and Messi later scored his third goal in four matches against Nashville. Suarez’s inch-perfect pass to Robert Taylor in the 63rd minute made the final half-hour more or less a formality, despite Sam Surridge’s stoppage-time goal.
Once again, Nashville’s quest for its first trophy ended at the hands of Inter Miami. In last season’s US Open Cup Round of 16, the Herons defeated Nashville 2–1. Three months later, Messi won his first trophy as an American-based player with a victory in the League Cup final at Geodis Park.
Nashville fell to two goals early
Nashville is not used to playing down by multiple goals. Messi’s 23rd-minute goal overcame a two-goal deficit for the first time since August 26, 2023, in a 4-0 defeat to Atlanta United.
You have to go even further back to find the last time Nashville conceded two or more goals in the first half – during a 4-3 loss to Toluca in the League Cup group stage a month ago.
As for falling behind by multiple goals in the first half, Nashville had not done that since a 2-1 loss to New York City FC last April. That was 37 competitive matches ago.
“(Inter Miami) had a great start, and in all honesty, we weren’t able to stop them for the first 15 minutes,” Nashville coach Gary Smith said. “That won them the game.”
Nashville struggles to stop Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez
Smith adjusted to the back line after Walker Zimmerman missed his second consecutive game after suffering a knee injury in the first period. By trade, left back Dan Lovitz replaced center back Jack Maher in the starting lineup and paired with Lucas McNaughton, while Taylor Washington and Shake Moore started at fullback.
“I thought a shift to the left, a reversal might give people the best possible perspective,” Smith said. “Sadly, it wasn’t meant to be.”
While Lovitz blasted the crossbar with a volley at the end of the first half, Nashville’s organization was sloppy in producing Inter Miami’s three goals. Smith thought Zimmerman’s lack of steady presence had something to do with it.
“There are a lot of people who rely on walkers,” Smith said. “Tonight, the early exchanges through the middle of our back line looked very erratic, and Miami took advantage of world-class stars.”
Zimmerman underwent what Smith calls a “non-invasive” procedure on his knee on Tuesday. Smith said the United States international could be out for three to four weeks but he is still hopeful his injury is “nothing serious.”
Sam Surridge impresses after halftime substitution
After Messi went 2–0 up, Inter Miami played more conservatively, appearing happy to allow Nashville to control the ball in wide areas while refusing to surrender it in the middle of the field.
For the most part, Gerardo Martino’s tactics were successful as Smith fielded a starting 11 without conceding any real goals. Nashville had nothing but crosses, and Miami won most of the aerial duels in the first half.
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This changed slightly when Surridge entered the game after intermission, playing his second game since injuring his shoulder in the CCC opener at Moka FC on February 22. The 6-foot-3 Surridge gave Nashville a more viable option to target. To the penalty box.
Surridge took three shots in his half of the game and scored on a cross from Moore in the 93rd minute. It was Surridge’s seventh goal in 18 games with Nashville.
Jacob Shames can be reached by email at [email protected] and on Twitter @Jacob_Shames.
