Messi scores three goals, secures Golden Boot as Miami beat Nashville

As Inter Miami used a second-half assault to defeat Nashville SC 5-2 in a Decision Day matchup on Saturday night, Lionel Messi recorded a hat-trick and added an assist. Baltasar Rodriguez added the assist.

Inter Miami won their third straight game thanks to Telasco Segovia’s score of 19-8, 65 points. In the first round, Miami will face No. 3 seed Nashville, who will be No. 6.

For Nashville (16-12-6, 54 points), which did not allow a shot over the first 34 minutes before being severely exposed in the second half, Sam Surridge and Jacob Shaffelburg scored goals.

Messi finished the regular season with 29 goals, making it clear that he would win the MLS Golden Boot race for 2025. Next-best players were Los Angeles FC’s Denis Bouanga and Surridge (24 goals), respectively. The 38-year-old also had 19 assists in the league.

Miami’s Rocco Rios Novo recorded five saves, while Joe Willis of Nashville recorded four.

Before Andy Najar was called for a handball, Nashville held a 2-1 lead going into the second half.

In the 63rd minute, Messi took the penalty kick that followed and made a level header into the bottom corner of the net with ease.

Four minutes later, Miami was energised by the goal, which gave it a boost.

Willis slammed away a right-footed shot Luis Suarez took. However, Rodriguez received the ball back and fired a right-footed shot past Willis to give Miami a 3-2 lead.

In the 81st minute, Messi kicked a left-footed shot into the lower left corner to make it 4-2.

In the opening minutes of second-half stoppage time, Messi and Messi had possession and controlled Willis before feeding the wide-open Segovia, who headed the ball into the net to tie the game.

With a 9-7 advantage in shots on target, Miami outshot Nashville 17-15.

Nashville led just 2-1 at halftime despite dominating play in the first half.

In the 34th minute, Messi scored Miami’s first shot after it had already been blocked. After receiving the ball from Jordi Alba, he sent a left-footed shot into the net with three defenders to manoeuvre around.

In the 43rd minute, Nashville responded by sending a quick, centring pass to Surridge, who headed in a header.

In stoppage time, Nashville struck again in the sixth minute. Shaffelburg knocked the ball home after Mukhotar hit it off the right goalpost, giving Nashville the lead.