Major League Soccer Eastern Conference league leaders Nashville FC held Inter Miami to a 2-2 entertaining stalemate away from home in the MLS matchday (25) encounter.
Inter Miami failed to close the gap on the league leaders on the night at home. Striker Sam Surridge broke the deadlock in the first half after he was put through by Andy Najar in the sixth minute.
Inter Miami stepped up and went in search for the equaliser and found it on the 19th minute as defender Baker Whitting scored an own goal through a devilish corner kick whipped into the box by Lionel Messi to level the scores at one all heading into the halftime break.
Back from the recess, both teams opened up to play expansive, free-flowing attacking football to the delight of the fans at the stadium.
Lionel Messi and fellow Argentine international teammate Rodrigo De Paul interchanged passes between themselves before Messi finished it off with a beautiful, cultured trademark curler with his left foot on top of the penalty box to put Miami into the lead on the 62nd minute.
By virtue of that goal, Lionel Messi took his goal-scoring tally to 19 league goals in the MLS regular season.
Nashville refused to give up and took the game to their opponents. That pressure paid off deep into stoppage time as Sam Surridge grabbed his second on the night to level the scores at two all for the away side.
Nashville remains on top of the Eastern Conference league table with 54 points, which is nine points above second-placed Inter Miami on 45 points.
In other games Antoine Griezman opened the scoring at home for Orlando City as they beat Toronto FC by a 3-0 scoreline, Columbus Crew 0-1 New York Red Bulls, FC Cincinnati 3-3 Charlotte, DC United 0-0 Atlanta United, FC Dallas 2-1 Portland Timbers, and Sporting Kansas City 3-1 Los Angeles Galaxy
Written by: Agboyibor Hope Francis
