Lionel Messi turned Fort Lauderdale into his playground again, scoring twice and setting up two more as Inter Miami crushed Nashville SC 4–0 to win their first-ever MLS Cup Playoff series.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner was involved in all eight of Miami’s goals across the three-game series, five scored, three assisted, as his side advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals. “He’s redefining what dominance looks like,” one MLS analyst told ESPN. “Every time he touches the ball, it feels like gravity bends toward him.”
Tadeo Allende added a second-half brace while Luis Suarez watched from suspension. Miami, the No. 3 seed, will now face FC Cincinnati, one of the few MLS teams Messi hasn’t yet scored against.
Nashville’s postseason misery continued, crashing out in the first round for the third year in a row despite flashes of resistance before Miami’s class took over. Messi’s tally now sits at 15 goals against Nashville in all competitions, more than against any other MLS club.
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