Skip to main content
Noticias

Preview: Inter Miami head to Nashville for Game 2

Preview: Inter Miami head to Nashville for Game 2

Compartir

Inter Miami will hope to advance to the next round of the MLS playoffs as they go into a second meeting with Nashville SC in the round-one, best-of-three series.

By James Nalton

Lionel Messi scored twice in a 3-1 win in game one, and has since made some rare appearances in the media ahead of the second game, raising a couple of key issues ahead of his team’s push to win the MLS Cup.

Familiar foes

This match will be Inter Miami’s eighth meeting with Nashville in the last two years.

The pair met last season in the Concacaf Champions Cup last 16, where Inter Miami won 5-3 on aggregate across the two legs.

Since then, they have played each other five times in MLS competition, including last week’s first round game, with Inter Miami winning on each occasion.

It will be the 18th meeting overall between the two teams, who joined the league as expansion franchises at the same time, in 2020. 

The only teams Inter Miami have faced as often in their history are Atlanta United (19 times) and Orlando City (18).

If there is to be a 19th game between the pair, Nashville will need to win this match to force a game-three decider next week.

H2H record – all-time

Messi says Miami needs the trophy

Messi will be hoping a decider is not necessary, and that Inter Miami’s path to the MLS Cup final is as smooth as possible.

The Argentine doesn’t often make media appearances, but did two short interviews this week, one with NBC and another with Fabrizio Romano, to promote the MLS playoffs.

Speaking to Romano, Messi was fairly candid about the team’s defensive problems and admitted that they need the MLS Cup for this season to be a success.

“I think the team had a moment where it knew how to compete at a high level, but it’s also true that we were very inconsistent, especially defensively, where we conceded a lot of goals,” Messi said.

“That’s something where we’re still lacking, if we really want to compete and be champions of MLS.

“I think it was a positive year, although we didn’t win any competitions, we still have the opportunity to do the best by winning MLS [Cup].”

Opposition watch: Nashville SC

Nashville were unable to get much going in game one, with Hany Mukhtar’s late, late strike serving merely as a consolation goal.

Returning home to Geodis Park for this second game, BJ Callaghan’s side will be hoping they can show more in attack against a Miami defence that even Messi admitted is a weak point.

In the final game of the regular season, Nashville created plenty of good opportunities against Inter Miami, racking up an xG of 2.98 and six big chances.

In Mukhtar and Sam Surridge, the team from Tennessee certainly have the attacking weapons to cause trouble for Miami and their inconsistent defence.

Prediction

This one could end all square with home advantage paying off in a penalty shootout for Nashville to take it to a game-three decider in Fort Lauderdale.

(Cover Image from IMAGO)

You can follow every MLS game live this season with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage including shot maps, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Preview: Inter Miami head to Nashville for Game 2

Inter Miami will hope to advance to the next round of the MLS playoffs as they go into a second meeting with Nashville SC in the round-one, best-of-three series.

By James Nalton

Lionel Messi scored twice in a 3-1 win in game one, and has since made some rare appearances in the media ahead of the second game, raising a couple of key issues ahead of his team’s push to win the MLS Cup.

Familiar foes

This match will be Inter Miami’s eighth meeting with Nashville in the last two years.

The pair met last season in the Concacaf Champions Cup last 16, where Inter Miami won 5-3 on aggregate across the two legs.

Since then, they have played each other five times in MLS competition, including last week’s first round game, with Inter Miami winning on each occasion.

It will be the 18th meeting overall between the two teams, who joined the league as expansion franchises at the same time, in 2020. 

The only teams Inter Miami have faced as often in their history are Atlanta United (19 times) and Orlando City (18).

If there is to be a 19th game between the pair, Nashville will need to win this match to force a game-three decider next week.

H2H record – all-time

Messi says Miami needs the trophy

Messi will be hoping a decider is not necessary, and that Inter Miami’s path to the MLS Cup final is as smooth as possible.

The Argentine doesn’t often make media appearances, but did two short interviews this week, one with NBC and another with Fabrizio Romano, to promote the MLS playoffs.

Speaking to Romano, Messi was fairly candid about the team’s defensive problems and admitted that they need the MLS Cup for this season to be a success.

“I think the team had a moment where it knew how to compete at a high level, but it’s also true that we were very inconsistent, especially defensively, where we conceded a lot of goals,” Messi said.

“That’s something where we’re still lacking, if we really want to compete and be champions of MLS.

“I think it was a positive year, although we didn’t win any competitions, we still have the opportunity to do the best by winning MLS [Cup].”

Opposition watch: Nashville SC

Nashville were unable to get much going in game one, with Hany Mukhtar’s late, late strike serving merely as a consolation goal.

Returning home to Geodis Park for this second game, BJ Callaghan’s side will be hoping they can show more in attack against a Miami defence that even Messi admitted is a weak point.

In the final game of the regular season, Nashville created plenty of good opportunities against Inter Miami, racking up an xG of 2.98 and six big chances.

In Mukhtar and Sam Surridge, the team from Tennessee certainly have the attacking weapons to cause trouble for Miami and their inconsistent defence.

Prediction

This one could end all square with home advantage paying off in a penalty shootout for Nashville to take it to a game-three decider in Fort Lauderdale.

(Cover Image from IMAGO)

You can follow every MLS game live this season with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage including shot maps, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.