Overview:
Luis Suarez scored a dramatic goal five minutes into stoppage time to lift Inter Miami CF into a 2-2 comeback draw with Nashville SC in the first leg of its Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16 series on Thursday night.
Luis Suarez celebrates his late equalizer against Nashville SC. (Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Luis Suarez scored a dramatic goal five minutes into stoppage time to lift Inter Miami CF into a 2-2 comeback draw with Nashville SC in the first leg of its Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16 series on Thursday night.
Lionel Messi started the comeback earlier in the second half.
The result gave Inter Miami favorable conditions after scoring two goals on the road ahead of the second leg of the series in South Florida at Chase Stadium on Wednesday, March 13. If the aggregate score after the two matches remains tied, away goals will work as the tiebreaker.
“Knowing that we have 90 more minutes to play at home, I think that we did well. We were calm, we were patient, and we did it simply by playing,” Miami head coach Tata Martino said. “It leaves us in a good place for the second round of 90 minutes left to play at home.”
Winger Jacob Shaffelburg, off a Shaq Moore assist, boosted Nashville SC a 1-0 lead in the fourth minute.
The remainder of the first 45 minutes presented a close matchup with both sides probing the opposition’s defense in search of creating opportunities in attack. Inter Miami’s most dangerous opportunities came from an attempt from Messi inside the box that was blocked by the keeper in the 37th minute.
The second half kicked off in similar fashion, with Nashville extending its lead through Shaffelburg’s second goal in the 46th minute. Sean Davis set up the goal.
Inter Miami cut into the hosts’ lead shortly after; with Messi capitalizing on a Suarez assist after a combination of passes with Diego Gomez in the 52nd minute. The Argentine star received the ball on the edge of the box before taking a touch and sending the ball to the back of the net with a left-footed curling shot.
The goal was Messi’s first in the competition and his fourth overall this season. The assist was also the first for Suarez in the Champions Cup and his fourth of the campaign.
Following the goal, the constant attacking threat throughout the remaining minutes of the match eventually paid off for the visitors, with Inter Miami securing a late equalizer through Suárez in the fifth minute of added time. A well-orchestrated team play on the right side of the box culminated with Busquets serving a ball for Suárez inside the box for the Uruguayan marksman to score with a header and tie the game in dramatic style. The goal was the first for Suárez in the competition and took his tally for the season to three, while the assist was Busquets’ first in 2024.
Inter Miami will resume MLS regular season when it hosts CF Montreal on Sunday, March, 10 at 4 p.m.
