Inter Miami superstars Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez, who scored one goal each to secure a 2-2 draw in the CONCACAF Round-of-16 first leg at Nashville, were on the money once again in the return leg. Playing in front of their fans at Chase Stadium on Wednesday night (March 13), Messi, Suarez, and Robert Taylor all pitched in with a goal to propel the Herons to a comfortable 3-1 victory (5-3 on aggregate), guaranteeing them a place in the CONCACAF Champions Cup quarter-finals. Sam Surridge scored Nashville’s consolation goal just before the full-time whistle.
Early Goals From Lionel Messi & Luis Suarez Set The Tone For Inter Miami
Having suffered a 3-2 defeat to Montreal in their last Major League Soccer (MLS) outing, Inter Miami were eager to return to winning ways as soon as possible. That urgency shone through in the CONCACAF Round-of-16 second leg against Nashville. They dominated possession from the get-go and created their first goalscoring opportunity just six minutes in.
Lukas MacNaughton made a complete mess of an attempted clearance, heading it straight to Miami skipper Messi. The Barcelona icon dribbled toward the edge of the box, dropped his shoulder to open up a bit of space, and let fly. To the home fans’ dismay, Messi’s shot had too much power and sailed well over the bar to let MacNaughton off the hook.
Nashville’s happiness, however, only lasted a couple of minutes, as Messi brilliantly set up Suarez for the go-ahead goal in the eighth minute. Jordi Alba pulled the ball back from the left, originally for Suarez, but the Uruguayan pulled off a clever dummy to leave it for Messi. The Argentinian spotted Suarez’s run into the box and placed a perfectly weighted through-ball into his path, allowing him to poke it home.
Fifteen minutes later, Messi scored for the fifth time this season, applying a thumping finish to Diego Gomez’s cutback into the box. The two early goals took the wind out of Nashville’s sails. The visitors put bodies forward whenever an opportunity presented itself, but they simply were not sharp enough to punish Inter Miami for their lapses.
Taylor, who has already scored twice in MLS this season, bagged Inter Miami’s third goal of the night in the 63rd minute, applying a clinical header to Suarez’s inch-perfect cross from the right flank.
A Look At Man Of The Match Messi’s Numbers Against Nashville
Messi, who missed the game against Montreal due to a shin injury, came off in the 50th minute against Nashville. He did not appear to be in any physical discomfort, but coach Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino did not want to take any risks.
In those 50 minutes, Messi showed why is hailed as one of the best in the business, despite being on the wrong side of 30. Not only did he score and assist, but he also chipped in defensively, making five interceptions. Additionally, the 36-year-old created a chance, pulled off a dribble, completed 24 passes (89% accuracy), and won three of four ground duels. If he can carry this form over to the MLS clash against DC United on Saturday (March 16), Vice City should have no trouble getting another victory under their belt.
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