Messi’s Inter Miami tied with Nashville in the first leg of the round of 16 of the Concacaf Champions Cup – – 2024-03-10 05:05:11

Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami recovered just in time. They fell 2-0 and finally tied 2-2 on the visit to Nashville SC at Geodis Park, in the first leg of the round of 16 of the CONCACAF Champions Cup, which could be seen exclusively on Star+. And it will define the series next Wednesday at home.

The team led by Gerardo Martino tried to consolidate its good start to the season, was on the verge of losing and was able to rescue a visitor’s equality at the start of its journey in the most important club tournament in Concacaf. Meanwhile, the local team, which has not yet won in the MLS, struck the first blow against the Florida team.

The two players to always follow at Inter Miami are Messi and Luis Suárez. The Argentine and the Uruguayan are the spearheads of a team that wants to win everything in 2024. Their quality and experience are key for the team in the pink shirt and they confirmed it with a goal each in this debut in that competition.

From the start, after four minutes, without anesthesia, Nashville put together a good play and Canadian attacker Jacob Shaffelburg scored 1-0. What’s more: he put together another very good collective action and in less than 10 the advantage almost increased. He continued to manage the development of the host match, against a lukewarm Inter Miami without good functioning in the midfield.

Martino decided to include young midfielder Federico Redondo as a starter, also from Argentina, son of the remembered and very talented Fernando. It was the Inter Miami debut of the recent member of the Argentine Under 23 National Team that qualified for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. And he almost said goodbye to the game very quickly, because at 25 minutes he elbowed Shaffelburg hard in the middle. from the field, so he could have been expelled.

And again Shaffelburg appeared to make it 2-0, just one minute into the second half, to the joy of his people and to the dismay of the Miami team. But the discount immediately arrived, with an elite South American connection: a pass from Suárez to Messi after seven minutes and the No. 10 put it in with his left foot, on the edge of the large area, halfway to the right post of the rival goalkeeper.

Inter Miami continued trying, but it was not enough and 12 minutes from the end they almost injured Messi, after receiving a strong foul from behind, which had to be expulsion for Canadian defender Lukas Mac Naughton. But he was not even cautioned by the referee, due to rival protests. And when looking for an equalizer, Shaq Moore scored for the host in the 38th minute, but it was disallowed for offside. Already in added time, Suárez’s head appeared, with the Uruguayan’s seal, to decree the key 2-2 for his team.

In these series, the away goal is worth double and Inter Miami scored twice, which means a lot. They had just beaten Orlando City in the Florida Classic 5-0, with outstanding performances from Messi and Suárez, and lead their conference. Meanwhile, Nashville tied its last game 1-1 against the Colorado Rapids and is ninth. This time, Messi and company were able to achieve a valuable draw and are excited to advance to the quarterfinals in the home duel next Wednesday, in front of their fans.