Inter Miami’s star-studded duo, Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez, once again proved their dominance as they led their team to a resounding 3-1 victory over Nashville in the second leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup Round of 16. The win secured a 5-3 aggregate triumph for the hosts in Florida.
Suarez opened the scoring early on, capitalizing on a clever pass from Jordi Alba and a sensational through ball from Messi. The Argentine maestro doubled the lead 15 minutes later, receiving a pass from Diego Gomez and firing it home with precision.
Inter Miami maintained their 2-0 advantage at halftime, and Robert Taylor extended their lead in the 63rd minute. Messi, who was substituted in the 50th minute, had already made his mark on the game.
Nashville’s consolation goal came in stoppage time through Sam Surridge, but it was too little, too late. The visitors had held Inter Miami to a 2-2 draw in the first leg, but the second leg proved to be a one-sided affair.
Despite Messi’s absence in the second half, Nashville struggled to create clear-cut chances. Drake Callender made a crucial save to deny Lukas MacNaughton, while Hany Mukhtar had a goal disallowed for offside.
This was the fourth time Nashville had faced Messi since his arrival at Inter Miami. They had previously played to three draws, including a 10-9 penalty shootout victory for Miami in the 2023 Leagues Cup final. Messi scored early in regulation and converted the first penalty kick in that match, helping Miami secure their first trophy.
