Nashville SC readies for home rematch with Messi, Miami

One of the greatest soccer players of all time will pay his second visit to Geodis Park next week.

Nashville SC will play host to Lionel Messi and Inter Miami CF on March 7 in a Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16 clash. It will be the first match of a two-leg series, with the second game set for March 13 at Miami’s Chase Stadium.

The contest will be a rematch of last season’s Leagues Cup final, when Miami edged Nashville 10-9 in an epic penalty shootout in front of more than 30,000 fans. Messi scored in regulation play during that contest, which ended 1-1. He also converted Miami’s first penalty kick.

Just 11 days later, the teams met again in Miami, with Nashville holding Messi scoreless in a 0-0 draw.

Nashville season ticket members will have until 11 p.m. on Feb. 29 to claim seats for next Thursday’s contest. Tickets not claimed will then go on sale to season ticket members and the team’s waitlist on March 1 at 10 a.m. All remaining tickets will go on sale for the general public March 1 at 1 p.m.

The 36-year-old Messi has won the Ballon d’Or award as the world’s best soccer player a record eight times, including four straight from 2009-12. In 2023, Messi’s first season with Miami, he totaled 11 goals and five assists in 14 games across all competitions.

The Boys in Gold set up next week’s rematch with Messi by dispatching Moca FC 4-0 at Geodis on Wednesday. That result gave Nashville a 7-0 aggregate triumph in the two-leg, first-round Concacaf Champions Cup series.

Forward Forster Ajago scored twice in his MLS debut, with forwards McKinze Gaines and Jacob Shaffelburg each adding goals for the home team. Ajago nearly netted a hat trick, but his header from close range was tipped off the crossbar by Moca goalie Pascual Ramirez.

Nashville outshot Moca 21-2 in a match that began with a temperature of 38 degrees, the coldest game played since Geodis Park opened.

Goalie Elliot Panicco made two saves as Nashville recorded its third straight clean sheet in all competitions to start the 2024 season.

This story was first published by our sister publication Nashville Post.