Coming into Wednesday, Nashville SC could guarantee relative accomplishment against Lionel Messi’s Entomb Miami. Through three games against the Herons since they marked ostensibly the best soccer player ever, Nashville still couldn’t seem to lose in an hour and a half.
That streak is currently finished — as is Nashville’s launch in the CONCACAF Champions Cup.
Entomb Miami took Nashville out of its most memorable intercontinental rivalry with an overwhelming, 3-1 triumph at Pursue Arena in the second leg of the groups’ round of 16 series. Miami progressed to the quarterfinals, winning the series 5-3 on total after a 2-2 attract last Thursday’s most memorable leg in Nashville.
Messi helped his onetime Barcelona partner, Luis Suarez, in the eighth moment, and Messi later scored his third objective in four games against Nashville. Suarez’s inch-ideal pass to Robert Taylor in the 63rd moment made the last half-hour pretty much a custom, despite a stoppage-time objective by Sam Surridge.
By and by, Nashville’s mission for its very first prize reached a conclusion on account of Entomb Miami. In last season’s U.S. Open Cup round of 16, the Herons crushed Nashville 2-1. After 90 days, Messi won his most memorable prize as an American-based player with a triumph in the Associations Cup last at Geodis Park.
Nashville falls into early two-goal hole
Nashville isn’t used to playing from multiple goals down. Messi’s 23rd-minute goal marked the first time it faced a two-goal deficit since August 26, 2023, in a 4-0 loss to Atlanta United.
You have to go back even further to find the last time Nashville gave up two or more goals in the first half — to a 4-3 loss to Toluca the Leagues Cup group stage a month earlier.
Nashville struggles to contain Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez
With Walker Zimmerman missing his second consecutive game after he suffered a knee injury in the first leg, Smith made adjustments to the back line. Dan Lovitz, a left back by trade, replaced center back Jack Maher in the starting lineup and paired with Lukas MacNaughton while Taylor Washington and Shaq Moore started at fullback.
Sam Surridge makes impact after halftime substitution
After Messi made it 2-0, Inter Miami played more conservatively, appearing happy to let Nashville control the ball in wide areas while refusing to surrender the middle of the field.
For the most part, Gerardo Martino’s tactics were successful as Smith fielded a starting 11 without a true target forward. Nashville had little else to offer besides crosses, and Miami won most aerial duels in the first half.