Nashville SC sent a message to the rest of MLS on Saturday night.
With first place on the line, Nashville delivered one of its most emphatic performances of the season, routing Lionel Messi and second-place Inter Miami 4-1 on Aug. 15 at GEODIS Park to strengthen its hold on the top spot in the MLS table.
The victory moves Nashville five points clear of Miami with 15 regular-season matches remaining, giving B.J. Callaghan’s club a significant advantage in the race for the Supporters’ Shield.
After rotating his lineup through three Leagues Cup matches earlier this month, Callaghan returned to a full-strength starting XI against Miami — and Nashville immediately looked like a team intent on making a statement.
Hany Mukhtar led the charge, scoring twice for his first multi-goal performance since his hat trick against LAFC in May. Sam Surridge and Cristian Espinoza also found the net, while recent signing Elias Saad continued to make an impact with two assists.
For Miami, the night was defined by a rare quiet performance from Messi.
The Argentine superstar returned to Inter Miami’s starting lineup for the first time since the Aug. 8 death of his father, Jorge Messi. Entering the match, Messi had dominated Nashville throughout his career, scoring 16 goals in 12 appearances against the club.
This time, however, Nashville kept him off the scoresheet.
Messi had a chance to put Miami ahead in the 23rd minute but missed from the penalty spot. From there, Nashville limited his opportunities and maintained control as the match unfolded.
Instead of another Messi showcase, GEODIS Park became the stage for Nashville’s biggest statement yet.
The 4-1 victory not only gave Nashville three points against one of the league’s biggest clubs — it reinforced the idea that the Boys in Gold are becoming the team everyone else in MLS has to chase.
