- Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez came through for Miami in a tense match
- The Herons now hold an away goals advantage over Nashville
- Is Trent Alexander-Arnold playing mind games with Man City trophy dig? It’s All Kicking Off podcast
Lionel Messi scored a stunning second-half goal and Luis Suarez struck in second-half stoppage time to earn a thrilling 2-2 draw for Inter Miami in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup vs. Nashville SC on Thursday.
It was only seven months ago that Miami beat Nashville on penalties in the Leagues Cup Final, and this one had all the elements of another tournament classic: high tensions, a razor-thin VAR decision and ultimately, the best players showing up in the clutch.
It looked like it would go down as a frustrating night for Messi despite his goal, as he survived a late injury scare, complained to the referee and hotly confronted opponent Anibal Godoy in the second half.
Nonetheless, his teammate and good friend Suarez headed in a 96th-minute equalizer supplied by Sergio Busquets, and Miami now goes into the second leg with a crucial away goals advantage.
Nashville waited less than four minutes to seize control of the game, with Jacob Shaffelburg hitting a left-footed shot high into the net over goalie Drake Callender.
Luis Suarez and his Inter Miami teammates celebrate after he scored a late equalizer
Earlier in the second half, Lionel Messi wheeled away in celebration as he scored
Still, it was a tense night at times as, as Messi later exchanged words with Anibal Godoy
Though Shaffelburg completed the move, it was USA defender Shaq Moore who was at the heart of it, driving inside after receiving the ball on the right before picking it up again and feeding his teammate to score.
Nashville soon had a shot saved off the line as well, though the play was ultimately blown dead for offsides.
It wasn’t a great first half for Miami but Messi certainly made his presence felt as he twice came close to scoring.
On the first occasion, he aimed wide from about 12 yards out inside the 13th minute after being supplied by teenager Noah Allen.
And it wasn’t the first time the pair connected in the half, as a smart ball from the left-back found Messi about 20 minutes later after a dummy from Suarez.
Messi was then able to glide past Nashville’s Daniel Lovitz but shot right at goalie Joe Willis – and despite some growing pressure from the visitors, plus a decent attempt from Julian Gressel before halftime – it was Nashville who would strike next.
Less than a minute into the second half, Shaffelburg picked up right where he left off, cutting in from the left before rifling a shot into the top corner for a 2-0 lead.
From there, though, things swung Miami’s way.
Messi finally got the better of Willis in the 57th minute and curled the ball into the net from the top of the box after being supplied by Suarez.
Nashville appeared to have put the game to bed when Moore scored in the 83rd minute, but the goal was ruled offsides.
Suarez then tapped into a familiar connection with Sergio Busquets in the 96th minute, and headed home to give Miami an away goals lead heading back to South Florida.
