Nashville SC crushes Inter Miami 4-1 as Messi misses penalty in MLS top-of-table clash

Match overview

Nashville SC strengthened its grip on first place in Major League Soccer with a 4-1 home win over Inter Miami on Saturday night, a clash between the top two teams in the Eastern Conference. Nashville moved to 43 points with a record of 13 wins, 2 losses and 4 draws, opening a five-point gap over second-place Inter Miami on 38 points. The defending MLS champions from Florida had entered the match on a seven-match undefeated league run and a league-best 8-1-1 road record, but saw that streak snapped. Nashville remained unbeaten at home in the MLS campaign and recorded only its second win over Inter Miami since Messi joined the Florida club.

Nashville SC43

Inter Miami38

Nashville SC

43 pts

Inter Miami

38 pts

Data from the article text

Messi's difficult night

Lionel Messi made his first MLS start since the death of his father, Jorge Messi, on August 8 at age 68. He had come off the bench in the second half of Inter Miami's 3-2 loss to Club León on August 12. Earlier in the week, Messi acknowledged he was unsure whether he would continue playing. In the 23rd minute, Messi stepped up to take a penalty after Luis Suárez was brought down inside the area by Jeisson Palacios. Messi's weak effort was saved by Nashville goalkeeper Brian Schwake, who dived to his right. Sergio Reguilón put the rebound into the net, but the goal was disallowed for encroachment. Messi was shown a yellow card in the 59th minute and struck both posts in second-half stoppage time. He did provide the assist for Miami's lone goal, picking out Telasco Segovia with a forward pass in first-half stoppage time, and Segovia spun before firing into the far corner.

Nashville's second-half surge

Andy Najar headed Nashville into the lead in the 17th minute, connecting on a delivery from Elias Saad along the left post. After Segovia's equalizer leveled the score before halftime, Nashville seized control in the second half. Hany Mukhtar, the 2022 MLS Most Valuable Player, put Nashville back in front in the 49th minute off a pass from Saad. Sam Surridge made it 3-1 roughly eight minutes later with a back-heel finish inside the box, his 12th goal of the season. Mukhtar added his second in the 63rd minute after Miami goalkeeper Rocco Rios-Novo misread a goal kick from Schwake and fell over, leaving the German forward to collect the loose ball and score into an empty net.

Broader context

The defeat was Inter Miami's third consecutive loss, following defeats against Mexican sides Monterrey and Club León in the Leagues Cup. Nashville had already eliminated Miami from this year's CONCACAF Champions Cup in the round of 16. Messi's penalty struggles extended a pattern that included two missed spot kicks at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where Argentina lost the final to Spain 1-0. Surridge's 12th goal of the season put him in contention for the MLS scoring title, a race led by Nico Fernández with 13. Nashville travels to Red Bull New York on Wednesday, while Inter Miami visits the Philadelphia Union on Wednesday.