Sam Surridge's late equalizer denies Lionel Messi, Miami a vital win
Sam Surridge’s stoppage-time equalizer secured a 2-2 draw for Nashville SC against Inter Miami on Saturday evening, denying Lionel Messi and Miami a crucial home victory. The result extended Miami’s challenging run to just one win in their last eight league matches, further complicating their Eastern Conference playoff aspirations.
Surridge scored his second goal of the match, and 15th of the season, in the first minute of second-half stoppage time. The forward capitalized on a rebound after Dayne St Clair saved Shak Mohammed’s initial shot, allowing Eastern Conference leaders Nashville to claim a point on the road against second-place Inter Miami, as reported by The Guardian's coverage.
Messi's Milestone Goal Insufficient
Lionel Messi had given Inter Miami a 2-1 lead in the 62nd minute with his league-leading 19th goal of the season, and his 99th across all competitions for the club. He received a pass from Rodrigo De Paul at the top of the box and delivered a left-footed shot past Nashville goalkeeper Brian Schwake.
Despite Messi's go-ahead goal, Surridge's late intervention meant Miami settled for their third consecutive draw. De Paul nearly snatched a winner for Miami in the fourth minute of second-half stoppage time, but his attempt struck the left post, marking the final action of the match. Nashville extended their unbeaten streak against Inter Miami to four matches across all competitions.
Other MLS Action
In other Major League Soccer fixtures, Sporting Kansas City ended a three-game losing streak with a 3-1 upset victory over visiting Los Angeles FC. André Luiz scored his first MLS goal, with Taylor Calheira and Jacob Bartlett also finding the net for Kansas City. Denis Bouanga scored the lone goal for Los Angeles FC, whose four-game unbeaten run concluded. This was the first time Los Angeles allowed three goals since a 3-2 loss to Nashville on May 17.
Orlando City continued their strong form with a 3-0 win against Toronto FC, extending their winning streak to three games and their unbeaten run to five. Antoine Griezmann scored for the fifth consecutive match, contributing to Toronto’s first loss since July 25, which snapped their seven-game unbeaten streak.
Reporting: The Guardian