Overview
- Inter Miami beat Nashville SC 3-1 at Chase Stadium to take a 1-0 lead in the Eastern Conference first-round series.
- Lionel Messi scored twice and Tadeo Allende added a header, with Hany Mukhtar pulling one back late for Nashville.
- The first round is a best-of-three format with no extra time and ties decided by penalties, giving early wins outsized weight.
- Before kickoff, Messi received the MLS Golden Boot after a 29-goal regular season in which he also led the league in assists.
- Inter Miami announced a new Messi contract in a video tied to the Miami Freedom Park project, with reports differing on whether the term runs through 2028 or 2027 with an option.