Lionel Messi strikes twice as Nashville SC falls to Inter Miami again

Nashville SC’s first recreation in two weeks went in with a bang and out with a whimper.

Nashville took the lead within the second minute however Lionel Messi scored twice and added an help as Inter Miami rallied from conceding an personal aim to profitable 3-1 Saturday evening at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The loss was the second straight for Nashville (1-3-4, seven factors) and fourth straight recreation with no win.

Messi discovered the online within the first half and located former Barcelona teammate Sergio Busquets on a nook kick to place the Herons forward for good simply earlier than halftime. He sealed the sport with a penalty kick within the 81st minute, his fifth aim in as many video games in opposition to Nashville.

Nashville’s subsequent recreation is April 27 at Geodis Park in opposition to the San Jose Earthquakes.

“We created some very, superb probabilities that we must always have taken extra benefit of,” Nashville coach Gary Smith stated. “I noticed a great deal of positives . . . We’ve 4 out of 5 video games at dwelling that I am now wanting ahead to. I am undecided I might have stated {that a} couple weeks in the past.

“We’re in, I feel, a really respectable place mentally. The gamers have given an amazing effort tonight in a really troublesome setting in opposition to a tricky group, and I feel we’re some very high quality strains away from placing factors again on the board once more.”

Early strain pays off for Nashville

Inter Miami’s 57.7 possession share is the second-highest in MLS. But it was Nashville, with the league’s ninth-lowest at 46.7%, that suffocated Miami within the opening exchanges, hardly ever letting the ball go away the Herons’ facet of the sphere with its efficient press.

Dan Lovitz laced a promising nook kick that took a deflection off Inter Miami defender Franco Negri and into the online for Nashville’s opening aim. Three minutes later, Josh Bauer virtually made it a two-goal lead when his shot from shut vary hit the publish.

“The primary 20 minutes of the sport, the gamers confirmed a hell of a number of depth,” Smith stated.

Evening to overlook for Elliot Panicco

Saturday was the third straight begin for Elliot Panicco over Joe Willis in aim. It may be his final for some time.

Panicco stopped the primary shot he noticed from Messi however could not forestall the ball from bouncing round within the field and finally again to Messi, who slid it right into a wide-open web within the eleventh minute. He bore far more duty for Inter Miami’s second aim 25 minutes later. His errant clearance — certainly one of a number of on the evening — led to Busquets’ set-piece aim.

Shaky in possession all through the primary half, Panicco was changed by Willis popping out of halftime — the primary time Smith has ever made such a substitution as Nashville SC coach.

“This can be a blip, no extra,” Smith stated. “It was a troublesome 45 minutes for him. He really made one or two glorious saves. However the work together with his toes was off-cue. It was creating some points, and I felt it was the proper transfer (to substitute him).”

Missed alternatives doom Nashville to defeat

Whereas Nashville settled down properly after the sloppy protection of the primary half, it would return dwelling rueing alternatives it missed.

Sam Surridge had a disappointing evening, coming away scoreless regardless of 4 probabilities with a mixed 1.01 anticipated targets. His header on aim within the sixth minute had an xG of 0.49, and later within the first half the striker had a shot blocked on a 2-on-1 with Hany Mukhtar.