Inter Miami CF (5W-2L-3D, 18 points) earned a 3-1 win at home tonight over Nashville SC to carry the team's positive momentum forward this regular season. Midfielder Sergio Busquets’ first goal for the Club and a brace by captain Lionel Messi led the team to the win on the night at Chase Stadium in front of a Club-record home crowd.
Lineup Notes
Inter Miami lined up with Drake Callender in goal; Marcelo Weigandt, Tomás Avilés, Nicolás Freire and Franco Negri made up a back line of four in defense; Julian Gressel, Busquets and David Ruiz started in midfield; Messi and Diego Gómez flanked striker Luis Suárez in attack.
Match Action
The match kicked off with the visitors opening the scoring early on, with Nashville taking an early lead through an own goal after a corner kick in the second minute of action.
Inter Miami, however, would respond shortly after with a goal of its own to tie the scoring. In the 11th minute, following an initial attempt inside the box from Messi that was denied by the keeper, Suárez assisted the Argentine maestro on the left side of the box, allowing him to send the ball to the back of the net to equalize. The goal was Messi’s sixth goal this regular season and eighth across all competitions to match Suárez’s numbers as the team’s leading scorer, while the assist was the fourth for Suárez this regular season.
The hosts would then turn the proceedings around and take control of the match after scoring a second goal in the 39th minute. A ball from Messi into the box from a corner kick found Busquets at the near post for the midfielder to head the ball to the back of the net and give Inter Miami a 2-1 lead. The goal was Busquets’ first since joining the Club, while the assists was the sixth for Messi this regular season and eighth across all competitions as he continues to be the team’s top provider. Additionally, the assist also saw Messi make MLS history, as he became the first player in league history to record multiple goal contributions in five out of six games at the start of a season.
The scoreline then held throughout the final minutes of the first half and the majority of the second 45 minutes presented an even matchup, but there was more to come from the hosts. In the 80th minute substitute Leo Afonso was brought down inside the box and a penalty was called for Inter Miami. Messi then calmly slotted the ball to the back of the net in the 81st minute to give Inter Miami a 3-1 lead and register his seventh goal this regular season and ninth across all competitions in 2024 to become the team’s top scorer.
The 3-1 scoreline remained unmoved and Inter Miami claimed all three points at Chase Stadium to continue atop the Eastern Conference standings.
Ocean’s Day Theme Night Presented by Fracht Group
In a heartening display of unity and purpose, Inter Miami CF and Fracht Group are back at it, standing together for a cause close to our hearts: saving our oceans. Fresh from their impactful beach cleanup on February 27, where 205 pounds of oceanic waste met its match, these champions of environmental stewardship unite once again for #TeamSeas. This global initiative aims to raise vital funds to rid our oceans of 30 million pounds of plastic and debris, a testament to their unwavering commitment to our planet's wellbeing.
The action kicked off big time tonight at Chase Stadium. Fracht Group rolled out the red carpet for their Ocean's Day campaign, kicking off on Earth Day with their own special theme night takeover. But here's the kicker: for every goal and/or epic save that Inter Miami CF pulls off during each home match for the remainder of the regular MLS season, Fracht is donating money towards #TeamSeas. It's like watching your favorite team play, but with a seriously awesome twist – you're scoring big for the planet, too.
Post-Match Reaction
“I think that in the first half we weren't quite there, but in the second half we were able to correct the mistakes step by step, and we were comfortable after we equalized...The first opportunity we had to get out of our half, we ended up finding the goal that ended up being a rebound to Leo [Messi] which could have been a goal to begin with, but either way it was a crucial moment to tie the game,” said head coach Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino.
Next Match
Next, Inter Miami will travel to Massachusetts to take on the New England Revolution at Gillette Stadium on Saturday, April 27 at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Stats:
Possession:
MIA - 52%
NSH - 48%
Shots:
MIA - 10
NSH - 13
Saves:
MIA - 4
NSH - 3
Corners:
MIA - 4
NSH - 6
Fouls:
MIA - 14
NSH - 12
