বুধবার, ১৬ সেপ্টেম্বর ২০২৬, ০৯:২৪ অপরাহ্ন
Inter Miami has reached the conference semifinals of the MLS Cup playoffs for the first time. Miami defeated Nashville 4-0 in the final match of the first round of the ‘Best of Three Series’ today. Lionel Messi scored two goals and assisted on another in this victory.
Miami had previously won the first match of the ‘Best of Three Series’, but Nashville won the second match. Today’s third match was a ‘life-or-death’ for both teams. After knocking Nashville out of the tournament, Miami will now play the conference semifinals against FC Cincinnati.
Inter Miami took the lead in the 10th minute of the match at Chase Stadium. Messi received the ball from a blunder by Nashville’s Matthew Corcoran in the middle of the field. Just before Messi entered the box, he took a shot from inside the tangle of four defenders, and the ball went into the net.
Messi scored the second goal in the 39th minute. Mateo Silvetti entered the Nashville box after receiving a long ball from Jordi Alba. He sent the ball back in the last minute with a back pass. The almost defenseless Messi did not have much trouble sending the ball into the net from outside the box. This was the 894th goal of Messi’s career.
Tadeo Allende scored both of Miami’s goals in the second half. In the 73rd minute, Jordi Alba exchanged the ball with Messi and moved close to the touchline. Then Allende easily scored the goal with a back pass. Two minutes later, the Argentine midfielder scored the second goal with an assist from Messi. Allende coolly controlled the ball after the Argentine captain chipped it over the goalkeeper’s head and into the net. This was the 400th assist of Messi’s career.
Messi is likely to be more pleased with the team’s achievement on the night of reaching a personal milestone. Last year, they won the MLS Supporters’ Shield but were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. This time, they have gone down that ladder and are now waiting to play in the conference semifinals.
The battle to reach the conference finals could be on November 22 or 23.
