Inter Miami draws 0-0 with Nashville in Concachampions opener
Messi postpones pursuit of 900th career goal as Inter Miami ties Nashville in first leg of Round of 16 matchup.
10:41 PM
Inter Miami drew 0-0 with Nashville SC on Wednesday in the first leg of their Round of 16 matchup in the Concachampions, leaving the series wide open ahead of the return fixture next week.
The match took place at Geodis Park in Nashville. Inter Miami, managed by Javier Mascherano, arrived in good form after consecutive victories in Major League Soccer play. Messi had scored three goals in his last two MLS matches—two against Orlando City and one against D.C. United—bringing his career tally to 899 goals.
The match was cautious throughout, with few clear-cut opportunities. Messi had one chance to reach the 900-goal milestone with a cross shot, but Nashville's goalkeeper denied him. The Argentine forward struggled to influence play from midfield onward during the encounter, and Inter Miami appeared uncomfortable for much of the match against one of the MLS's strongest teams.
The 0-0 result leaves Inter Miami in a favorable position for the return leg, which will be played at Chase Stadium in Miami next Wednesday. However, the team faces a significant constraint due to the tournament's tiebreaker rules. Under the Concacaf Champions Cup regulations, if the series remains level on aggregate goals, the away goals rule applies. This means that any draw with goals in the second leg would eliminate Inter Miami, as Nashville would advance on away goals.
Inter Miami therefore needs a victory in the return fixture to advance to the quarterfinals. A win by any scoreline will secure their passage to the next round. The winner of this series will face the victor of the América-Philadelphia Union matchup, with América holding a 1-0 advantage from their first leg.
Messi, 38 years old and in good physical condition, remains in pursuit of the 900-goal milestone. Only Cristiano Ronaldo has previously reached this figure in professional football. Mascherano has stated that competing for and winning the Concachampions is one of the team's primary objectives for the season. Inter Miami won the MLS title in 2025 but was eliminated from the Concachampions in the semifinals that year after losing to Vancouver Whitecaps.