March 18 – After grinding out a 0-0 draw on the road last week at GEODIS Park in Nashville, Inter Miami wanted a fast start against Nashville SC in the 2nd leg of their Concacaf Champions Cup tie, and for the 900th time in his career, the GOAT, Lionel Messi, delivered after just seven minutes to send the Herons on their way.
On a warm, rainy night in South Florida, with humidity at 85%, the possession-hungry Inter Miami team was forced to work for every last scrap as Nashville competed for every 50/50, every aerial duel, and bit into every challenge, but still, there was no stopping Messi.
Former Tottenham player Sergio Reguilón squared the ball, and Messi’s left foot did the rest, giving BJ Callaghan an early headache, however coming into the match, he also knew his team would probably have to score to advance.
Inter Miami had made winning the Champions Cup 2026 one of the key season objective and had rested Messi from the away trip to Charlotte in the MLS at the weekend.
After the early shock, the two #6 pivots of the visitors, Patrick Yazbek and Matthew Corcoran, started denying space to Messi, leading Miami boss, Javier Mascherano to encourage his fellow Argentine, Tadeo Allende, to start pushing up and looking for space. He tested Brian Schwake twice, and the keeper responded with two outstanding saves.
Offensively, Nashville offered very little, leaving Canadian international Dayne St. Clair with nothing to do but cheerlead his teammates.
Neither coach made any moves at halftime, and nothing about the direction of traffic changed either, as Miami continued to play the game in Nashville’s half of the pitch.
In the 57th minute, Messi escaped, and the Nashville back four magnetically moved to the Argentine, who slipped a lovely pass to Germán Berterame, who stung the palms of Schwake.
Callaghan made his move a minute later, bringing in Alex Muyl and Reed Baker-Whiting to add a different picture down Miami’s left-hand side.
Ten minutes later, the chance game. A high press and Cristian Espinoza released Hany Mukhtar, who was clean through. With St. Clair to beat and to put his name in lights, Mukhtar lost his nerve and blasted high over the bar, a horror miss. Would that be their chance?
Confidence was building, though, and St. Clair was forced into a save by Muyl. Then, in the 74th minute, Nashville shocked the soccer community in America. A cross, a scramble in the six-yard box, and the ball fell to Espinoza, who lashed it through a mass of bodies to give the ‘Boys in Gold’ that precious gift of an away goal.
Mascherano immediately made moves, bringing on the ageless, Luis Suárez and David Ayala.
For Miami, fifteen minutes to define their season. Nashville, hadn’t read that script and threw the bodies on the line blocking seemingly goal-bound shots from Messi and Allende with heroic defending.
Callaghan looked cool on the sidelines, and Mascherano was increasingly worried. Four minutes of additional time were signaled, and the away team saw it out with the swagger of a champion. Inter Miami was out on away goals and the penalty of not finding the net last week, brutally punished.
For Nashville, it’s time to dream. They hung in there, and when the chance came, they took it. Espinoza will be the toast of Broadway for months to come.
Inter Miami 1 v 1 Nashville SC (1-1 agg) – Nashville wins on away goals