Lionel Messi scored a stunning goal to give Inter Miami the lead against Nashville, but his side conceded a dramatic stoppage-time equalizer to draw 2-2.
The result leaves Inter Miami winless in three consecutive Major League Soccer matches, following previous draws against Atlanta United and Chicago Fire prior to hosting the Eastern Conference leaders.
Messi’s Spectacular Strike Against Nashville
The Argentine superstar netted in the 62nd minute when Rodrigo De Paul set up the ball on the edge of the penalty area, allowing Messi to strike a first-time left-footed shot cleanly into the top corner past goalkeeper Brian Schwake.
Nashville had taken an early lead through Sam Surridge in the fourth minute, before the hosts equalized in the 19th minute via an own goal from Reed Baker-Whiting, which resulted from a delivered Messi corner that caused panic in the visiting defense.
Messi continued to threaten the opposition goal during the second half, hitting the crossbar with one effort, while Inter Miami also saw two other attempts strike the posts alongside a goal-line clearance by Jeizon Palacios.
Just as Inter Miami prepared to secure the victory, goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair denied Shakur Mohammed’s initial attempt, only for the rebound to fall to Surridge, who tapped home his second goal in the 91st minute (90+1′) to snatch a point for Nashville.
Messi’s Statistics and Inter Miami’s Standings
Messi raised his MLS tally for the season to 19 goals across 22 appearances, alongside 12 assists, continuing his push for the top scorer title and Most Valuable Player honors.
Across all competitions for Inter Miami in 2026, the 39-year-old has featured in 26 matches, scoring 22 goals and providing 13 assists—including two goals and an assist in the Leagues Cup, along with a goal in the CONCACAF Champions Cup.
Inter Miami remain second in the Eastern Conference standings with 45 points from 25 matches (12 wins, 9 draws, 4 losses), while Nashville retain top spot with 54 points, holding a nine-point advantage with nine regular-season matches remaining.
