Lionel Messi’s return to the Inter Miami starting lineup turned into a nightmare as the Argentine icon missed his third consecutive penalty in a comprehensive 4-1 defeat to Nashville SC. The Herons were systematically dismantled at Geodis Park, failing to reclaim the top spot in the Eastern Conference on a night where nothing went right for the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner.
MLS was typically chaotic on Saturday evening, but Nashville’s rout of Inter Miami offered the clearest indication yet of where the Supporters’ Shield may be headed.
Inter Miami head coach Guillermo Hoyos has refused to confirm whether Lionel Messi will feature in Saturday's crucial MLS clash against Nashville. The Argentine star recently returned to action following the tragic passing of his father, but the club insists he will dictate his own playing schedule.
The MLS All Star initial XI has been revealed, and the big names have made it - along with a few well-deserved surprises. GOAL's writers break it all down in the latest Rondo.
Lionel Messi and Co. remain favorites, but strong starts from Nashville, San Jose and Vancouver have the league nicely poised heading into a long break.
Lionel Messi remains the MLS MVP favorite if he plays enough minutes, but Sam Surridge, Hany Mukhtar, Timo Werner and others are building real cases of their own.
With the future of the Argentine still uncertain after the World Cup, GOAL assesses some potential successors for the manager should he decide to walk away from the job.
Inter Miami were supposed to be among the favorites for a CONCACAF Champions Cup they pledged to win, but their Nashville loss is a total embarrassment.
Argentina teammates Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul were not included in Javier Mascherano’s matchday squad for Inter Miami’s road clash with Charlotte FC at Bank of America Stadium. Neither player is injured, and both were reportedly rested ahead of Miami’s second-leg meeting with Nashville SC in the CONCACAF Champions Cup.
Inter Miami were forced to settle for a frustrating scoreless draw with Nashville SC in the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions Cup last 16 tie. Neither side created much, and Lionel Messi was kept surprisingly quiet in a poor fixture between two sides that looked more eager not to lose. The two teams combined for just five shots on target over the course of 90 minutes.
GOAL runs the rule over the British players earning a living away from their homeland, with plenty more stars deciding to leave their comfort zones in search of a better footballing life elsewhere. The Premier League is still obviously one of the world's most entertaining divisions and the Championship can prove fantastic for development, but there are more options out there.
If you're wondering about the main dates for the upcoming Major League Soccer season, GOAL has you covered - plus more info on how to watch games on TV
GOAL spoke to GMs and chief soccer officers across MLS about the league’s 3.0 vision: the calendar change is progress, but executives say the next steps must come faster.
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Nashville SC
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