Messi extends scoring streak against Nashville as Miami battles to a draw

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/messi-lionel/vgOOdZbd/"]Messi[/a] curled in a superb strike in the 62nd minute at [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/inter-miami/0AheRyBg/"]Miami[/a]'s Nu Stadium to fire Inter into a 2-1 lead, but [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/nashville-sc/84yIDQMe/"]Nashville[/a] grabbed a share of the points after striker [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/surridge-sam/AN61tMjm/"]Sam Surridge[/a] bundled in an injury-time equaliser.[/p][p]The 39-year-old Messi has now scored a remarkable 17 goals in 14 games against Nashville in all competitions since joining Miami in 2023.[/p][embed guid="d0a1e03e-51a4-4e1a-86b0-cdd43fa01081" url="https://x.com/MLS/status/2098941062333047080?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]And Messi could have even improved his goals record against Nashville in Saturday's game between the first-placed and second-placed sides in the Eastern Conference.[/p][p]Messi saw a shot crash off the underside of the bar in the 50th minute and also saw a shot cannon off the post in the 78th minute. A late Messi effort was also headed clear by Nashville defender [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/palacios-jeisson/bJFvxwIh/"]Jeisson Palacios[/a] before Surridge's leveler.[/p][p]The result leaves Inter nine points adrift of Nashville in the race for top seeding with nine regular season games remaining.[/p][p]Earlier, Nashville had got off to a dream start when English striker Surridge sprang the offside trap before burying a low shot into the bottom corner in the fourth minute.[/p][embed guid="7a8bab47-dd27-4c0f-94fc-22ca4157b14a" url="https://x.com/MLS/status/2098921937179209980?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]But Miami drew level midway through the half and again Messi was involved. The World Cup-winner's wicked in-swinging corner found the head of Nashville defender [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/baker-whiting-reed/Q7VP1SXe/"]Reed Baker-Whiting[/a], who glanced in an own goal.[/p][p]It looked as if Messi had grabbed the winner midway through the second half when he combined with former Argentina international teammate [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/de-paul-rodrigo/AZ6TTjDC/"]Rodrigo De Paul[/a] on the edge of the area before curling a shot beyond the dive of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/schwake-brian/fDbFeqY3/"]Brian Schwake[/a].[/p][p]But Miami's failure to extend their lead proved costly as Surridge scored from close range in injury time to steal a point.[/p]