MLS playoffs: Inter Miami trounces Nashville 4-0 behind braces from Lionel Messi, Tadeo Allende

Inter Miami CF rolled to an easy 4-0 win over Nashville SC on Saturday, securing the win behind a first-half brace from star midfielder Lionel Messi and a second-half brace from Tadeo Allende. The victory completes a win in the best-of-three Round 1 series, and sends Inter Miami to the Eastern Conference semifinals for the first time in franchise history.

Early on, Nashville made the costly mistake of giving Messi space. Messi quickly made them pay, sprinting through three Nashville defenders and striking the ball just outside the penalty box for his first goal of the game in the 10th minute.

Nashville managed to fend off several Miami free kicks outside the box, keeping the game at 1-0 through some good defending and a good showing from goalkeeper Joe Willis.

But in the 39th minute, Messi struck again. This time it was a collaborative effort, with Jordi Alba sending the ball long to Mateo Silvetti, who made a perfect backheel pass to his captain.

Nashville didn’t give up its fight. Minutes into the second half, Nashville nearly cut into the deficit with a goal from Sam Surridge. But Surridge was whistled for a foul after just catching the feet of Maximilian Falcón while making a run, and the goal was called off.

Surridge made several more attempts at goal in the second half, though none were close enough to really threaten Miami.

And then Miami really started to run away with it, with Allende scoring two goals in a four-minute span. Allende first found the back of the net in the 73rd minute off a stellar pass on the endline from Alba; he then found it again in the 76th with a long run and chip over the head of Willis.

Messi was credited with assists on both of Allende’s goals, and was named the Player of the Match as a result.

The pair of braces led Miami to a dominant performance, even without forward Luis Suaréz. Suaréz was suspended one game by the league after kicking Nashville defender Andy Najar during Game 2.

Miami will next face FC Cincinnati, which beat Columbus 2-1 in Game 3 earlier on Saturday, in the conference semifinals. The game will take place in Cincinnati, since Miami is the lower seed.

It’s the furthest that the team has made it in the MLS playoffs since the franchise’s inaugural season in 2020; last season, even after dominating the league and winning the MLS Supporters’ Shield, Miami was stunned by No. 8 seed Atlanta United in the first round.