Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami suffered a setback in Sport 2 of the 2025 MLS playoffs, falling 2-1 to Nashville SC on the street and forcing a decisive third recreation to earn a ticket to the subsequent spherical. In a heated match, head coach Javier Mascherano didn’t maintain again, blasting the referee and VAR selections after the ultimate whistle.
At GEODIS Park, Nashville took the lead following a controversial penalty within the sixth minute, when Inter Miami goalkeeper Rocco Ríos Novo introduced down striker Sam Surridge contained in the field. The English ahead transformed from the spot within the ninth minute, and Josh Bauer doubled the lead simply earlier than halftime. Messi pulled one again within the 89th minute with a shocking strike, but it surely got here too late for the Herons to finish a comeback.
In his post-match press convention, Mascherano addressed the officiating controversy surrounding referee Allen Chapman: “Concerning the refereeing, I favor to not remark as a result of I understand how the system works, and I don’t need to give them an excuse to return after me. I’m simply shocked—actually shocked—that they didn’t go to VAR to overview the play. There’s a instrument known as VAR, and I don’t perceive why they didn’t use it to test.“
The Argentine supervisor additionally criticized the restricted stoppage time added on the finish of the match. “It wouldn’t have value them something. In any case, there was barely any precise taking part in time, so taking a number of extra minutes to test the VAR wouldn’t have modified a lot, given all of the delays. And so they solely added six minutes, when in Miami they gave 11 for a lot much less,” he said.
Javier Mascherano, Head Coach of Inter Miami CF throughout recreation vs. Nashville SC.
Mascherano admitted the staff should “swallow the anger” and channel that frustration into Sport 3. The Herons may have their final likelihood on Saturday, November 8, with home-field benefit at Chase Stadium, as they appear to safe the qualification to the MLS Cup quarterfinals for the primary time within the membership’s historical past.
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Inter Miami nonetheless removed from their greatest kind
After a commanding 3-1 win in Sport 1, Inter Miami struggled to seek out their rhythm regardless of dominating possession. A well-organized Nashville facet was in a position to neutralize Messi’s affect for many of the recreation, because the Argentine registered his first shot on course within the 86th minute, adopted by his purpose a couple of minutes later.
Talking on the sport, Mascherano mirrored on the Herons’ issue linking up with Messi in assault: “Within the first half, perhaps we couldn’t discover him in conditions close to the field, however we did discover different possibilities — like Tadeo (Allende)’s, the place there was a maintain, or Luis (Suárez)’s shot that hit the put up. We created alternatives, however we weren’t sharp sufficient within the last third, and there’s additionally credit score to the opponent, who managed to shut off the areas a method or one other.“
