Lionel Messi (Inter Miami)
November 2025

Nashville beat Inter Miami 2-1 in Game 2 of the first-round series. Surridge converted a penalty and Josh Bauer (Nashville SC) added a second from a corner. Messi curled in a left-footer, Luis Suárez (Inter Miami) hit a post, but Miami’s late push fell short. Series heads to a decider. Miami’s sloppy start—keeper hesitation and set-piece lapses—handed Nashville control. After halftime, Miami pinned Nashville back, funneling attacks to Messi’s left-cut. Nashville compacted centrally, killed angles, and survived the final dead-ball. Tactical discipline and box defending outweighed Miami’s volume. Miami must start cleaner and protect restarts in the decider.