Inter Miami Player Ratings Vs. Nashville Sc: A Messi Masterclass Powers Herons To Playoff Victory

Lionel Messi scored doubly and added an assistance arsenic Inter Miami picked up a triumph to commencement nan 2025 MLS Cup playoffs, defeating Nashville SC 3–1 successful Game 1 of their Round One best-of-three series. 

Fresh disconnected winning nan MLS Golden Boot and being named a finalist for MLS MVP, Messi opened nan scoring for nan Herons successful nan 19th infinitesimal pinch a diving header disconnected a transverse from longtime teammate Luis Suárez, showcasing nan 38-year-old’s off-ball smarts pinch deceiving runs into nan box. 

In nan 2nd half, nan Argentine picked up a secondary assistance arsenic Tadeo Allende netted his first postseason goal, putting his broadside up 2–0. Miami continued to onslaught and their 3rd extremity came easily; Messi tapped successful a spilled transverse from Nashville goalkeeper Joe Willis to crystal nan triumph connected nan location transportation successful second-half stoppage time.

Nashville pushed passim nan match, but weren't capable to find a extremity until nan last moments of second-half stoppage clip erstwhile Hany Mukhtar struck location a nonstop free footwear arsenic nan last action of nan match.

With nan win, Miami now beryllium a crippled distant from advancing successful nan playoffs for nan first clip successful nine history. To clinch a spot successful nan 2nd information of nan postseason, nan Herons will request to triumph either Game 2 astatine Nashville’s GEODIS Park aliases a imaginable Game 3 backmost astatine Chase Stadium, pinch either FC Cincinnati aliases Columbus Crew waiting successful nan adjacent round.

*Ratings Provided by FotMob*

Luis Suárez played 1 of his champion games for Inter Miami successful Game 1 of nan MLS Cup playoffs. / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

GK: Rocco Ríos Novo—6.2: The young goalkeeper spent astir of nan play arsenic nan backup to Oscar Ustari, but has taken complete nan starting domiciled and made 2 saves earlier surrendering nan cleanable expanse successful nan 11th infinitesimal of second-half stoppage time.

RB: Ian Fray—7.9: The Jamaica world proved his worth arsenic an attacking fullback pinch overlapping runs and a pinpoint transverse to group up Allende’s 2–0 goal.

CB: Noah Allen—7.3: After a timid start, nan Greece U-21 world recovered his shape and vanished nan nighttime pinch 10 protect actions, helping Miami support Nashville disconnected nan scoresheet from unfastened play.

CB: Maxi Falcón—7.5: The 28-year-old has proven a cardinal portion of nan Herons’ defense, and was erstwhile again captious successful starring nan apical halfway backmost pairing, ending pinch 1 of his amended ratings successful caller memory.

LB: Jordi Alba—6.6: With Allende charging up 1 wing, Alba dropped backmost into a much protect role, ensuring Miami preserved their lead.

RM: Tadeo Allende—8.0: Allende put successful 1 of his champion games for Inter Miami, putting up a captious 4 clearances, arsenic good arsenic 2 passes into nan last third, and 3 shots done 77 minutes.

DM: Sergio Busquets—7.8: Set to discontinue astatine nan extremity of nan season, Busquets was ascendant successful nan midfield pinch 3 successful tackles.

DM: Rodrigo De Paul—7.3: De Paul picked up a yellowish paper and completed 55 of his 59 attempted passes. The Argentine created 2 chances arsenic well, but he was not among Miami's standout performers.

LM: Baltasar Rodríguez—6.5: While Allende stood retired connected nan correct side, Rodríguez struggled to make an adjacent effect down nan left. The Argentine youngster was dispossessed doubly and only had 2 tackles.

ST: Lionel Messi—9.0: Messi brought his full extremity contributions successful MLS games (regular play and playoffs) to 51 for nan play pinch a extremity disconnected a diving header and a secondary assistance connected Allende's tally, earlier adding a 3rd tap-in during second-half stoppage time.

ST: Luis Suárez—7.9: Suárez stood retired successful onslaught pinch 3 shots, but it was his pinpoint transportation for Messi's opening extremity which will return nan attraction from Game 1.

Subs not used: Oscar Ustari (GK), Marcelo Weigandt, Ryan Sailor, Fafà Picault, Tomas Aviles

Nashville (4-3-3)

Starting XI: Joe Willis (GK); Andy Nájar, Walker Zimmerman, Jeisson Palacios, Daniel Lovitz; Bryan Acosta, Eduard Tagseth, Patrick Yazbek; Hany Mukhtar, Sam Surridge, Jacob Shaffelburg.

Subs not used: Brian Schwake (GK), Jack Maher, Teal Bunbury, Tyler Boyd.

Player of nan Match: Lionel Messi

Inter Miami 3–1 Nashville SC—How it Unfolded astatine Chase Stadium

Lionel Messi ended his nighttime pinch a tap-in extremity aft a disaster astatine nan backmost for Nashville SC. / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Messi was backmost astatine his champion for Inter Miami passim nan action connected Friday night, opening nan scoring successful nan 19th infinitesimal pinch a diving header. The Argentine past picked up a secondary assistance connected nan Herons’ 2nd extremity earlier uncovering nan backmost of nan nett successful stoppage clip to tally 3 extremity contributions connected nan night. 

The 38-year-old received nan shot aft a situation from Allende earlier laying disconnected to Rodrigo De Paul Messi past made a tally into space, wherever he regained possession and group up Luis Suárez for nan cross. The Uruguayan's transportation was inch-perfect and Messi headed nan shot successful for his 38th extremity crossed each competitions this season. 

The onslaught came aft a rocky commencement for nan Herons. Just moments before, Nashville winger Jacob Shaffelburg stripped Miami defender Noah Allen astatine nan backmost and slipped connected a breakthrough, making nan prevention elemental for Rocco Ríos Novo betwixt nan sticks. 

While some teams took nan first fewer minutes to settee into nan game, it reached a frantic gait by nan 10th infinitesimal and didn’t slow down. The Herons, though, took speedy power done bunkering and antagonistic attacks successful nan first half, while exposing Messi’s off-ball skillsets arsenic overmuch arsenic his dribbling. 

Miami extended their lead conscionable aft nan hr people pinch a 14-pass buildup retired of nan back, which ended pinch Messi sliding a shot to an overlapping tally from Ian Fray successful nan attack. The newly-appointed Jamaica world past floated successful a transverse for a rising Allende, who nodded past Nashville’s Joe Willis for nan 2–0 lead. 

Later on, Messi made nan astir of a precocious spilled transverse from Willis, tapping location 1 of nan easiest goals of his full career. 

Yet, Nashville didn’t fto disconnected their unit late, earning a free footwear successful nan last moments, which group up DP midfielder Mukhtar for a curling changeable past Ríos Novo for nan 3–1 extremity connected nan last footwear of nan match. 

Miami vanished nan crippled pinch 12 shots and six connected target, while Ríos Novo stopped 2 of Nashville’s 3 shots connected target, astir securing a cleanable sheet. 

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