Nashville SC Vs Inter Miami MLS 2023 Leagues Cup Final
The visitors have been able to control the game, but it feels like they need more incision. A couple corners have not resulted in a chance for Nashville.
Lionel Messi wins the coin toss and steps up first in the shootout…and SCORES! He sends Elliot Panicco the wrong way for the winner.
Goals
MLS 2023 debutants Nashville SC and Inter Miami face off in the Leagues Cup final at Geodis Park. This is the first major trophy in club history for Nashville, while it is the first championship for Inter since their MLS launch. It’s also Lionel Messi’s first title in America with the club, and it came after an exhilarating penalty shootout.
The match began with a flurry of chances for both sides. First, a great run by Alex Muyl ended with a shot off the crossbar. Next, a pass by Hany Mukhtar to Sam Surridge was cleared for a corner by Jordi Alba. The corner came to Walker Zimmerman, who volleyed a header just wide of the goal.
Inter’s first chance came in the 23rd minute. The ball landed at Messi’s feet after a pass from teammate Robert Taylor was blocked. The Argentine dribbled past Nashville defender Walker Zimmerman and unleashed a bending shot from just outside the box into the top left corner of the goal. Diving goalkeeper Elliot Panicco had no chance to stop it.
The teams went into halftime tied at 1-1. The second half started with Nashville pressing hard, and it paid off in the 57th minute. Fafa Picault took a great pass from Hany Mukhtar and ran straight at goal. He beat the keeper to the ball and finished coolly inside the far post.
The third goal would come in the 74th minute, but it was not the goal Nashville needed. The visitors had a free kick in the attacking half, and it was taken by Leonardo Campana. The winger’s low shot hit the right post, and the rebound was cleared out for a corner. The corner was taken by Lukas MacNaughton, and his low header missed just wide of the far post. The game headed to penalties, and the final result was a 5-4 win in favor of Inter Miami. The winner of the match will advance to the CONCACAF Champions League Round of 16. The losers will play in a playoff for the third-place seed in the South American group.
Goalkeepers
Just a few short weeks ago, it seemed impossible that the worst team in MLS would win a trophy. But Inter Miami added the Leagues Cup to their impressive list of achievements after beating Nashville SC 10-9 on penalties in Saturday’s final at Geodis Park. The star of the match was Lionel Messi, who scored in regulation and converted the first penalty kick in the shootout.
The Argentine World Cup winner opened the scoring with a spectacular goal in the 23rd minute. He dribbled past Walker Zimmerman and then hit a perfectly curving shot into the top corner of the net. It was a stunning goal to see, and it gave Inter a big boost.
But Nashville eventually equalised with Fafa Picault squeezing a shot from a corner past Drake Callender. The game was poised at the end of normal time, and both sides had gut-wrenching chances to win the contest. Leonardo Campana missed a last-minute chance to win it for the visitors, slicing his effort wide of the empty net. Then came the penalty kicks, and it was all down to Callender. He kept his cool and saved Elliot Panicco’s shot to clinch the title for Inter.
Both keepers had a busy night, and both were excellent in their own ways. Callender had to make some key saves throughout the match, especially in the second half. He was also impressive in the penalty shootout, keeping his composure and stopping all of Nashville’s shots. Panicco, meanwhile, struggled to keep his cool and was guilty of some mistakes in the shootout, particularly with his first attempt. But he still managed to save one of the other penalty shots, and Inter won the competition. It was the club’s first piece of silverware in North America. It was a remarkable accomplishment for a side that had just joined the league in May. Now they can focus on climbing out of the basement of the Eastern Conference to qualify for the MLS playoffs. The win was especially sweet for the club’s fans who had been patient through a difficult season.
Key Moments
Lionel Messi opened the scoring in the 23rd minute with a goal that would be stunning for any player but was especially impressive for the man who wears his number 10. The Argentine controlled the ball on the edge of the box, dribbled past Walker Zimmerman and struck a perfectly placed shot into the top corner. It was the first goal of his Inter Miami career and silenced a boisterous crowd at Geodis Park.
Nashville SC had a couple of good chances in the opening half, but they were held at bay by the defense of the David Beckham-owned club. Walker Zimmerman missed a header at the back post in the 17th minute and the home side’s other effort was blocked by defender Hany Mukhtar.
In the second half, the game went toe-to-toe with both teams trading possessions and creating chances. The David Beckham-owned club was able to keep possession better and create more chances. Josef Martinez almost made it 2-0 for Inter Miami with a long-range strike that had the home fans on their feet but hit the crossbar. Later on, Mukhtar threatened with a shot that was saved by Drake Callender and Leonardo Campana had another effort blocked.
It was a thrilling match that ended with Inter Miami earning its first piece of silverware as a team. The David Beckham-owned club is now one win away from clinching its first-ever MLS title.
The club has only been an MLS franchise for one season, but it’s already written its first chapter in the history books.
The match was played in front of a sold-out crowd at the stadium. The atmosphere was a mixture of excitement and nerves as the two sides faced off for the final. There was a lot of attention on the game as it featured several celebrities, including Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo and Reese Witherspoon, who were both minority owners of Nashville SC. The crowd was treated to a thrilling match that went to penalty kicks. The match ended with Inter Miami winning the first-ever Leagues Cup in dramatic fashion.
Substitutions
Inter Miami CF beat Nashville SC 1-1 (9-10 on pens) to win the 2023 Leagues Cup final. The victory was the first piece of silverware in club history for the Herons.
Lionel Messi opened the scoring for Inter Miami with a superb individual effort in the 23rd minute. The Argentine received the ball near the center of the field, took five yellow jerseys off his back, and curled his right-footed shot past Walker Zimmerman and goalkeeper Elliot Panicco into the left corner.
Despite trailing early, Nashville came close to tying the game just before halftime. Midfielder Randall Leal nearly gave the home side the lead on a breakaway, but his shot hit the right post.
The second half was more of a back-and-forth affair, but neither team could get the all-important goal. In the 57th minute, Hany Mukhtar’s corner kick found Fafa Picault, who headed it over the line after it deflected off Benjamin Cremaschi and Drake Callender.
Inter Miami faded after Picault’s header, allowing Nashville to take control for the remainder of regulation. Mukhtar had two good chances late, but both were denied. In the 89th minute, Callender deflected a high kick from Mukhtar and then blocked the forward’s follow-up attempt.
In the penalty shootout, all but two players buried their attempts. Messi and Sergio Busquets scored their penalties, while Leonardo Campana missed his. Fortunately, Callender saved Nashville’s final attempt, ending the game 10-9 and giving Inter Miami their first-ever trophy.
The result is a massive boost for Inter Miami, which enters the week at third place in the Eastern Conference with a 6W-6L-0D record and 19 points. The Herons also now have the added bonus of earning a place in the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open Cup. The draw for that competition is scheduled for later this month. The win is also a huge confidence booster for the Herons, who will be looking to build on this momentum as they face MLS competition next weekend against Toronto FC. Click here for all of the latest MLS news. Follow us on Twitter @MLSNews and like us on Facebook.
