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Inter Miami held to a goalless draw in the first leg of the Champions Cup
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The teams will meet again on March 18 at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale
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Messi’s one shot on target was his lowest in a single game since November 29
Inter Miami and Nashville SC played to a scoreless draw in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup round of 16 on Wednesday night.
The teams will face off again on March 18 at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale to determine who advances to the quarterfinals.
Before this match, Messi had scored in six consecutive games against Nashville, totaling 12 goals and five assists since April 20, 2024. This marks the second time in four games that Messi failed to score, following a 3-0 loss to Los Angeles FC on February 21.
Messi had one shot on goal during the match, with a passing accuracy of 79%. His opportunity came in the 55th minute when he broke down the left side but was denied by Nashville’s goalkeeper, Bruan Schwake.
This was Messi’s lowest shot total in a single game since November 29, during the MLS Cup Eastern Conference final against New York City FC. In that match, he had no shots on target but provided an assist in Inter Miami’s 5-1 victory.
Inter Miami had 59% possession of the ball during the game. Nashville, however, took 15 shots overall, with four hitting the target compared to Miami’s eight shots.
Nashville’s best chance came from a corner in the 65th minute taken by Cristian Espinoza. Reed Baker-Whiting, finding himself in the box, headed the ball just over the crossbar.
Inter Miami’s Maximiliano Falcón was injured in the seventh minute and had to leave the game, with Gonzalo Luján stepping in.
The winner of the Nashville-Miami matchup will play against either Club América or the Philadelphia Union in the quarterfinal. Club América secured a 1-0 win over Philadelphia on Wednesday in Chester, Pennsylvania. Their game will take place on March 18 at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
Advancement in the CONCACAF Champions Cup is determined by aggregate goals. The team with the most goals over the two matches will move on. If the next game ends in a draw after 90 minutes, extra time and penalty kicks will follow.