Messi’s Heroics Propel Inter Miami to Historic Playoff Win
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Lionel Messi’s remarkable first-half performance, featuring two goals, helped Inter Miami secure a dominating 4-0 victory over Nashville SC at Chase Stadium on Saturday. This triumph marks the first time in the club’s history that they advanced in the MLS playoffs.
Tadeo Allende also contributed to the win with two late goals, including one assisted by Messi, sealing Miami’s position in the next round.
With this victory, Miami has won the Round 1 series 2-1, moving forward to the Eastern Conference semifinal where they will face FC Cincinnati, the No. 2 seed.
“I believe the team executed our game plan very well,” said Miami’s coach Javier Mascherano. “While there’s always room for improvement, we played with intensity and organization from the start, implementing effective pressing tactics throughout the match.”
Inter Miami faced the match without star forward Luis Suárez, who was sidelined due to a one-game suspension for violent conduct in their previous game.
Messi opened the scoring in the 10th minute, netting a low shot in the lower-right corner after intercepting the ball in the attack zone. He then scored again later in the game, with the assist coming from Mateo Silvetti, a young player filling in for Suárez, who has been compared to Messi since both hail from Rosario, Argentina.
“I might not fully grasp this moment now, but I know that assisting Messi will be something I cherish,” Silvetti expressed. “It’s truly an honor to play alongside such an extraordinary talent.”
Miami continued to assert their dominance, and Allende scored twice in a short span to confirm their spot in the next round. Despite Nashville’s attempts on goal, Miami’s goalkeeper Rocco Ríos Novo secured the team’s first clean sheet of the postseason.
Having previously won the Golden Boot in the regular season, Messi concluded the three-game series with five goals and has now scored 12 against Nashville in just seven encounters since joining MLS in July 2023.
As the No. 3 seed in the East, Miami is gearing up to take on second-seeded FC Cincinnati at TQL Stadium in Ohio. In previous seasons, the team has struggled to get past the first round, facing elimination in 2020, 2022, and 2024.
Mascherano acknowledged the weight of past disappointments, stating, “I feel a sense of relief. The squad has shown perseverance throughout the season, and this win is a testament to their resilience.” He emphasized that the team is ready to look ahead and build on this success.
Saturday’s win provides at least one more opportunity for Messi’s longtime teammates, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets, who have both announced plans to retire at season’s end. The winner of the Miami vs. Cincinnati matchup will face either the top-seeded Philadelphia Union or the fifth-seeded New York City FC in the Eastern Conference final.
Information sourced from The Associated Press and ESPN Research.
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