Inter Miami Advances to Eastern Conference Semifinals with Dominant Win Over Nashville SC

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Lionel Messi’s remarkable first-half brace propelled Inter Miami to a commanding 4-0 victory over Nashville SC at Chase Stadium on Saturday, marking a historic advancement in the MLS playoffs for the club.

Tadeo Allende capped the victory with a swift double late in the second half, with Messi assisting on the latter goal.

With this win, Miami secured the Round One best-of-three game series 2-1, advancing to the Eastern Conference semifinals where they will face the No. 2 seed, FC Cincinnati.

Inter Miami entered the match at a disadvantage, missing key player Luis Suárez, who was sidelined due to a one-game suspension from the MLS disciplinary committee for violent conduct in the previous match.

Despite Suárez’s absence, Inter Miami took an early lead in the 10th minute when Messi seized the ball in the offensive third and expertly placed a shot into the lower right corner of the net.

Messi then doubled the lead late in the second half, aided by Mateo Silvetti, the player chosen by head coach Javier Mascherano to replace Suárez in the starting lineup.

Miami continued to dominate as the match progressed, inspiring Allende to score two goals within a span of five minutes, securing their passage to the next round of the playoffs.

Although Nashville managed 11 shots throughout the contest, goalkeeper Rocco Ríos Novo secured the team’s first clean sheet of the 2025 postseason.

As the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference, Miami now prepares to face FC Cincinnati at TQL Stadium in Ohio for the upcoming semifinal match. Notably, Inter Miami had previously struggled in the playoffs, failing to advance past the first round in 2022 and 2024.