Star forward Lionel Messi and Inter Miami defeated Nashville in the third round of the playoffs to advance to the MLS Cup East semifinals.
Published November 9, 2025
Lionel Messi scored two goals and had two more assists as Inter Miami advanced to the MLS Cup Playoffs for the first time in club history with a 4-0 victory over visiting Nashville SC in Game 3 of their first-round series on Saturday night in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Messi finished the three-game series with five goals and three assists, meaning he was involved in all eight of third-seeded Miami’s goals. He scored 15 points against sixth-seeded Nashville in all competitions, the most ever against an MLS opponent.
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By contrast, Messi did not score against second-seeded FC Cincinnati, which hosts Inter Miami in a one-game Eastern Conference semifinal in two weeks.
Despite the absence of leading forward Luis Suarez, who was suspended for one game for kicking out Nashville SC’s Andy Najar in Game 2, Miami won with Tadeo Allende scoring twice and having an assist after halftime.
Nashville returned to the playoffs in coach B.J. Callahan’s first full season after missing the 2024 tournament, but lost in the first round after making three straight postseason appearances.
Messi put Miami ahead in the 10th minute with the first clear chance for both teams.
Ian Frey’s pressure forced Nashville’s Matthew Corcoran into a reckless pass backwards, but Allende deflected the pass to Messi’s feet, leaving him time and space to dart forward.
Messi played the rest of the game, dribbling to attack retreating centre-back Jack Maher and firing a low shot from about 20 yards between goalkeeper Joe Willis and the right post.
A defensive error by Walker Zimmerman then set up Messi’s second goal in the 39th minute, when Jordi Alba’s unexpectedly long ball reached the left wing but was unable to clear.
Instead, Matteo Silvetti carefully spotted Messi running into space and strode in to supply a square pass for an easier second goal.
Nashville thought they had a goal just seconds into the second half, only for likely goalscorer Sam Surridge to be whistled for a foul on Maxi Falcon.
But in the end, Miami added insurance through Allende twice, in the 73rd and 76th minutes.
In the first, Messi and Alba combined on the left side of the box, cutting through traffic and setting up Allende’s low finish. In the second, Messi sent an early through ball that Allende chipped past Willis as he ran.
