MIAMI — Inter Miami CF and Nashville SC battled to a 2-2 draw Saturday in a matchup between the top two teams in Major League Soccer’s Eastern Conference.
For Miami, it was another painful late collapse.
The last time these two sides met, Nashville dominated Miami in a 4-1 victory. This time, the Herons looked determined to write a different story — but once again, a late goal denied them all three points.
Nashville came out on the front foot, immediately forcing Miami to defend deep in its own box.
Just three minutes into the match, Brazilian star Casemiro was caught out in the back, allowing Nashville forward Sam Surridge to race past him and calmly slot the ball into the net.
Nashville had an early 1-0 lead in a match Miami needed to win to keep its hopes of finishing atop the Eastern Conference alive.
Miami responded by pushing forward and looking for an equalizer. The pressure earned the Herons the first corner of the match, with Lionel Messi standing over the ball.
Messi played the corner short, but the opportunity came to nothing.
Minutes later, Messi created a chance for himself. With the ball on his left foot, he fired toward the bottom-right corner, forcing the Nashville goalkeeper into a full-stretch save. The ball deflected out for another corner.
This time, Messi made it count.
He curled the ball into the box, where it struck the head of Nashville defender Reed Baker-Whiting and flew into the back of the net.
The goal was officially credited as an own goal, but Miami wouldn’t care how it got there. The match was level at 1-1.
The equalizer seemed to wake Nashville up.
The visitors responded with wave after wave of pressure, forcing Miami to absorb the attack and defend its penalty area.
The Herons managed to weather the storm, but the match quickly became more physical. Fouls began piling up in midfield, disrupting the flow and slowing the pace of the game.
Nashville nearly regained the lead after a quick throw-in created space in Miami’s defense, but the Herons cleared the danger for another corner.
The ensuing set piece resulted in a dangerous free kick just in front of the 6-yard box, while Miami defender Fricio Caicedo also picked up a yellow card.
Miami’s wall stood firm and blocked the free kick, sparking a counterattack in the opposite direction. Nashville stopped the break with a tactical foul, earning Maxwell Woledzi a yellow card.
The physical play continued as halftime approached, with neither side able to establish control.
After a frenetic opening 45 minutes, the halftime whistle finally blew with the score tied 1-1.
Miami came out of the break looking to take control of possession and find the go-ahead goal.
Messi nearly delivered immediately.
On a Miami counterattack, Messi received a through ball and found himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper. He cut onto his left foot and fired toward goal, only to watch his shot crash off the post.
The Herons were inches away from taking a 2-1 lead.
Nashville answered with another dangerous free kick near Miami’s penalty area, but the Herons cleared the initial threat. The follow-up effort sailed wide, giving Miami a goal kick.
By the 60th minute, Miami had seized control of the match.
And once again, Messi was at the center of it.
The Argentine superstar collected the ball outside the box, created just enough space and fired a shot into the back of the net.
Miami had its lead.
The crowd inside Nu Stadium erupted into chants of “Messi! Messi! Messi!” as the superstar celebrated his go-ahead goal.
With 30 minutes remaining, Miami had a 2-1 advantage and appeared to be in position to claim a massive three points.
A victory would have moved the Herons within six points of Nashville for first place in the Eastern Conference.
But Nashville wasn’t finished.
The visitors began applying pressure once again, searching desperately for an equalizer. Miami’s defense held firm, soaking up attack after attack and attempting to protect its narrow lead.
The Herons nearly put the match away when Luis Suárez got a shot off after the Nashville goalkeeper bobbled the ball following a save.
The shot struck the post.
It was Miami’s opportunity to seal the victory, but the Herons couldn’t find the decisive third goal.
With less than eight minutes remaining in regulation, Miami appeared to be doing enough to slow the game down and see out a much-needed victory.
Then came the late drama.
Miami caught Nashville on a fast break, with Messi once again finding himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper. He fired toward goal, but a Nashville defender raced back and cleared the shot off the goal line.
Four minutes of stoppage time were added.
And Nashville needed only moments to make them count.
Surridge found himself in the right place at the right time, tapping the ball into the net to complete his brace and stun the Miami crowd.
The Herons pushed forward in the final minutes, desperately searching for a winner.
Their final opportunity came in the dying seconds, but the shot struck the left post.
The final whistle soon followed.
A match Miami appeared to have in its hands ended in another late heartbreak.
The 2-2 draw marked Miami’s second consecutive draw after the Herons also surrendered a late equalizer against Atlanta United in their previous match.
Miami will now turn its attention to Wednesday, when it faces Cruz Azul in the Campeones Cup with another opportunity to get back in the win column.
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