Luis Suarez’s header in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time lifted Inter Miami to a 2-2 draw with host Nashville SC on Thursday in the first leg of CONCACAF Champions Cup round-of-16 series.
Jacob Shaffelburg scored twice for Nashville, while Lionel Messi delivered a goal for Miami.
The two-match, total-goal series will conclude Wednesday in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The winner will advance to oppose either Monterrey or FC Cincinnati in the quarterfinals.
In the final moments, Inter Miami’s Sergio Busquets sent a cross from the right side to the middle of the penalty area. Suarez, a former Barcelona teammate of Busquets and Messi, was open for a 6-yard header.
Shaffelburg scored early in each half, in the fourth and 46th minutes. Messi replied in the 52nd minute with a left-footed strike from just outside the 18-yard box.
Early in the contest, Nashville’s Shaq Moore sliced through the middle of the Miami defense and laid the ball off to Shaffelburg, whose 12-yard, left-footed blast went into the net over the head of goalie Drake Callender.
Just after halftime, Shaffelburg dribbled to the edge of the Miami box and unleashed a right-footed shot that sailed into the far top corner of the net.
Monterrey 1, FC Cincinnati 0
Former FC Cincinnati forward Brandon Vazquez beat his ex-team, scoring the only goal as the Mexican visitors won the first leg of their round-of-16 series.
In the 24th minute, Monterrey’s Jesus Gallardo played a long pass to Maximiliano Meza racing down the right wing. Meza found Vazquez with a cross into the box, and Vazquez took one touch before delivering a 12-yard shot with his right foot into the far corner.
Cincinnati finished the match with 10 men after Rodrigo Aguirre received a red card for violent conduct in the 70th minute.
The two-leg, total-goal series will conclude March 14 in Guadalupe, Mexico.
Vazquez spent the previous four seasons with FC Cincinnati, scoring 32 goals in 112 matches. He has four goals in eight career appearances for the U.S. men’s national team.
–Field Level Media
