Miami:LionelMessiscoredaspectaculargoalbutSamSurridgestruckininjurytimeasNashvilleSCfoughtbacktoholdInterMiamiCFtoa2-2drawinatop-twoMLSEasternConferenceclashonSaturday.
TheresultleavesInterMiamininepointsbehindNashvilleintheraceforthetopseeding,withnineregular-seasongamesremaining.
NashvillemadeadreamstartwhenEnglishstrikerSurridgebeattheoffsidetrapandfiredalowshotintothebottomcornerinthefourthminute.
Miamirespondedinthe19thminute,withMessionceagainatthecentreoftheaction.Hisdangerousin-swingingcornerfoundNashvilledefenderReedBaker-Whiting,whoglancedtheballintohisownnettobringthehostslevel.
MessicameclosetoputtingMiamiaheadearlyinthesecondhalfwhenhiseffortstrucktheundersideofthecrossbarinthe50thminute.
TheArgentineeventuallyfoundthebreakthroughinthe62ndminute.MessicombinedwithformerArgentinateammateRodrigoDePaulontheedgeofthepenaltyareabeforecurlingasuperbeffortbeyondthereachofNashvillegoalkeeperBrianSchwaketomakeit2-1.
Messiwasdeniedasecondgoalwhenanothereffortstruckthepostinthe78thminute.HealsohadalateattemptheadedclearbyNashvilledefenderJeissonPalaciosasMiamisearchedforadecisivethirdgoal.
Thatfailuretoextendtheirleadprovedcostly.
NashvilleremainedinthecontestandSurridgedeliveredagainininjurytime,bundlingtheballhometoscorehissecondgoalofthenightandearnthevisitorsashareofthepoints.
The39-year-oldMessihasnowscored17goalsin14appearancesagainstNashvilleinallcompetitionssincejoiningInterMiamiin2023.
TheArgentinecouldhaveaddedtothatremarkablerecordonSaturday,butthecrossbar,postandNashville’slatedefensiveinterventiondeniedhim.
ThedrawallowedNashvilletomaintaintheiradvantageoverMiamiatthetopoftheEasternConference,whileInterwerelefttoruemissedopportunitiesaftertwicehittingthewoodworkandfailingtoprotecttheirlatelead.