Inside Nashville SC victory vs Inter Miami, holding Messi scoreless
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The race for the MLS Supporters' Shield is now firmly in the hands of Nashville SC.
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NSC claimed a 4-1 win over Lionel Messi's Inter Miami at Geodis Park on Aug. 15, its joint-biggest win of the MLS season, to extend its lead atop the league to five points. NSC now sits on 43 points (13-4-2), while Miami looms behind on 38 points (11-5-3) in second.
Hany Mukhtar bagged a brace, marking his first NSC goals since a hat trick against LAFC on May 17, while recent signee Elias Saad provided two assists.
And while the one-sided win against last season's champion tightens Nashville's grip on first, Mukhtar was cautious on making any claims with 15 regular season matches still remaining.
"I told the guys before the game, we deserve to have this big match and it is a compliment to our achievement, what we've done the first 18, 19 games now. But we have to go game by game," Mukhtar said. "It's not a statement. There are too many games left and (we're) always focused on the next challenge."
NSC is back in action on Aug. 19 at New York Red Bulls.
How Nashville SC held Lionel Messi scoreless
Nashville SC hands Miami its joint-largest loss of the season, while becoming just the third MLS team to put four goals past the Herons. And while NCS's offense was in fine form, as all three forwards got on the scoresheet, its defense has now held Miami to two goals in its last three matchups.
Miami's main goalscoring threat came via the eight-time Ballon D'or winner Messi, who entered the game with 16 goals in 12 prior appearances against Nashville. It took a team effort, along with some luck, to ensure he didn't add to that tally.
Messi had a first-half penalty kick saved by keeper Brian Schwake, which was deflected out and put home by Miami's Sergio Reguilon before the referee deemed he'd entered the box early and the goal was overturned.
"We were lucky," SC coach B.J. Callaghan said afterwards, alluding to Messi's missed penalty. "But we'll take it, those are the things that happen. I think when our team plays Miami, there's familiarity and again it's a team effort. He's obviously their best player and you just have to make sure that you're aware at all times, because he's aware at all times in looking how to hurt you.
"I think it's a collective effort and I think you saw many different players tonight make plays. Even the solutions that came off the bench tonight, I thought did a really good job of making sure we contained him the best we could."
Elias Saad providing flair from NSC wing
Miami provided little in the way of defensive resistance in the second half particularly, which saw Nashville score three goals in a 14-minute span to all but secure the win. The first of those second-half goals came as Saad found Mukhtar for his second assist of the match and third since making his club debut on Aug. 1.
Lining up on the left side of the front line, Saad has quickly built a rapport alongside Muktar, Sam Surridge and Cristian Espinoza up top, with his flair on the ball and passing vision leading to five chances created against Miami.
"He gives the team a different look. He's a very different player than what we had in the past," Mukhtar said of his teammate. "He goes 1v1, looks for (combinations) constantly. We're very happy that he's here. He's done a phenomenal job to come into the team, which is not easy, if you come to a team which is established, which is winning.
"But we welcomed him with open arms and he (did) a phenomenal job tonight."
Harrison Campbell can be reached at [email protected] and follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @hccamp.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Inside Nashville SC victory vs Inter Miami, holding Messi scoreless