Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami beat Nashville 3-1 on Friday with a brace from the Argentine star and a goal from compatriot Tadeo Allende.
Prior to the match against Nashville at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Messi stood before a stadium silent at his feet and received the golden boot, the MLS top scorer award, for 29 goals and 19 assists.
Messi renews his contract and shines with a great goal
Left-back Jordi Alba, who recently announced his retirement from soccer at the end of the season, appeared accompanied by his three children Piero, Bruna and Ventura.
Inter Miami came into the first playoff game having placed third in the MLS regular season Eastern Conference standings.
And having won the last few games, despite the accumulated effort of several weeks with many commitments.
During the first half, Messi wowed the fans with long runs, the day after Inter Miami announced his renewal until 2028.
In the 18th minute, he made it 1-0 with a stellar header from the center of the box, after Uruguay’s Luis Suárez had set him up with the ball.
Scoreless chances before halftime
In the 31st minute, Ian Fray finished off an assist from Messi after taking a free kick, which passed very close to the right post, but the ball ended up deflecting wide.
Nashville woke up almost at halftime when Bryan Acosta shot in the 46th minute from outside the box, but missed.
Seconds later teammate Sam Surridge headed home a Jacob Schaffelburg assist from the left-hand corner of the box.
But the ball went high to the left and the curtain fell on the first half.
Allende’s goal and Messi’s brace
After the break, Sergio Busquets picked up a yellow card for dangerous play in the 53rd minute, and two minutes later De Paul and Surridge picked up two more yellow cards.
In the 61st minute, after a foul by Maxi Falcón in the defensive zone, Ian Fray crossed into the box, from where Teo Allende headed in to make it 2-0 for Inter Miami.
Argentine coach Javier Mascherano’s Herons were not content and fought for the third goal, which Messi scored in second-half stoppage time after a left-footed finish from near the center of the goal.
After a missed attempt by Surridge with just over a minute left in the game, Hany Mukhtar scored for Nashville with a free kick goal.
Inter Miami won the first game of a best-of-three series, in which Las Garzas have home field advantage.
Technical data
3. Inter Miami: Rocco Novo Rios; Ian Fray (Gonzalo Luján, m.88), Noah Allen, Maxi Falcón, Jordi Alba, Teo Allende (Mateo Silvetti, m.76), Sergio Busquets, Rodrigo De Paul (Yannick Bright, m.88), Baltasar Rodriguez (Telasco Segovia, m.69), Leo Messi and Luis Suárez.
Coach: Javier Mascherano.
Nashville: Joe Willis; Andy Najar (Josh Bauer, m.85), Walker Zimmerman, Jeison Palacios, Daniel Lovitz (Tate Schmitt, m.85), Bryan Acosta (Matthew Corcoran, m.68), Edvard Tagseth, Patrick Yazbek (Gaston Brugman, m.68), Hany Mukhtar, Sam Surridge, Jacob Shaffelburg (Alex Muyl, m.73).
Coach: Brian Callaghan.
Goals: 1-0, minute 18: Messi. 2-0, minute 61: Teo Allende. 3-0, m.90+6: Messi. 3-1, m.90+11: Hany Mukhtar.
Referee: Filip Dujic, from Canada.
Incidents: First round MLS playoffs match played at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale (Florida).
With information from EFE
For more information, visit QuéOnnda.com
