Messi and Allende Lead Inter Miami to Historic 4-0 Victory
Luis Suarez missed Game 3 of the Inter Miami versus Nashville playoff series due to a red card suspension. Nearly a year after their early playoff exit at home, Lionel Messi and Inter Miami made sure history did not repeat itself.
Messi and Tadeo Allende each scored twice, guiding Miami to a decisive 4-0 win over Nashville SC. This victory secured Inter Miami's first-ever advancement to the knockout round of the MLS playoffs.
Next Challenge: FC Cincinnati
Miami will travel to face FC Cincinnati on either November 22 or 23 in a single-elimination Eastern Conference semifinal match.
Match Overview
The stakes were high Saturday night at Chase Stadium. With star forward Luis Suarez suspended and observing from the suite, Miami faced Nashville SC for the fourth consecutive game, determined to avoid a repeat of last year's playoff disappointment when Atlanta United eliminated them.
Miami dominated throughout the entire match in this decisive game of the best-of-three series.
Coach Mascherano’s Reflections
“I thought the team played an almost perfect game. We played at a very high level on all our lines. We were very intense from the first minute, very organized in the high press.”
Coach Javier Mascherano encouraged the players to channel their frustration from the Game 2 loss into a strong performance on Saturday. The team celebrated both on the field and in the locker room, where music played long after the final whistle.
Author’s summary: Inter Miami, powered by braces from Messi and Allende, secured a historic 4-0 win over Nashville to reach the MLS playoff knockout stage for the first time.
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