Eastern Conference sides Inter Miami and Nashville SC battled it out in Ft Lauderdale, Florida, but were unable to find the back of the net in a scoreless 0-0 draw in MLS Matchday 29.
It was a rematch of the 2023 Leagues Cup final, with Inter Miami looking to climb up the Eastern Conference table in a bid to qualify for the postseason, while Nashville SC were out for revenge at DRV PNK Stadium.
Nashville, as expected, didn't see much of the ball in the first half and attempted to break through via counter-attacks. However, Miami were unable to capitalize on their time spent with the ball, as Nashville boss Gary Smith's defensive set up was frustrating Lionel Messi and co.
Miami midfielder Diego Gomez, one of their summer signings, picked up a yellow card and continued to go on a fouling frenzy during the early stages of the second half. Both teams continued to trade fouls, and MLS veteran Dax McCarty brought down Messi just outside Nashville's 18-yard-box, setting up a glorious free kick opportunity for the 36-year-old.
The 2022 World Cup winner stepped up to take the free kick but was unable to find the back of the net as his strike went straight into Ellito Panicco's gloves. Moments later, Miami's shot-stopper, Drake Callender, stood his ground to deny substitute Jacob Shaffelburg from finding the opening score after a brilliant run into the box.
The game began to open up from that point on. Fabrice 'Fafa' Picault put the ball on a platter for Hany Mukhtar, who thought he had scored, but Picault was in an offside position when he received the ball, which negated the goal.
The two sides couldn't be separated after 90 minutes, and for the first time since Messi's arrival, Miami were unable to win a game, settling for a 0-0 draw. The win halted a nine-game winning streak for the Herons, and the south Florida club remain in 14th place in the Eastern Conference with 22 points and will now gear up to take on LAFC at BMO Stadium on September 3.
The Boys in Gold also remain in seventh place with 39 points, and they'll prepare to take on southern rivals Charlotte FC on September 2 at GEODIS Park.
Inter Miami player ratings ( 4-3-3 )
GK: Drake Callender - 6/10 - Was a spectator for most of the match with Miami dominating possession of the ball. Came up with a great save in the middle of the second half.
RB: DeAndre Yedlin - 6/10 - A solid showing from the USMNT player and he might've been lucky to get away with a handball late in the game.
CB: Tomas 'Toto' Aviles - 6.5/10 - The young defender was calm on the ball and looked confident next to Miller.
CB: Kamal Miller - 7.5/10 - A standout player in the first half, and he made an excellent challenge in the second 45 to deny reigning MLS MVP Hany Mukhtar with a shot at goal.
LB: Jordi Alba - 7/10 - Made several great overlapping runs but his return cut-back passes couldn't find anyone in the box.
CM: Dixon Arroyo - 6/10 - A quiet showing in the first half from the midfielder and was unfortunate to be taken off at halftime.
CM: Sergio Busquets - 6.5/10 - Kept the Herons midfield ticking, but his errors early on led to a Nashville chance. Other than that, an excellent showing from the veteran.
CM: Diego Gomez - 6.5/10 - Got the nod over Benjamin Cremaschi again in the midfield, and he made several great runs before getting booked and then later on taken off for Cremaschi.
RW: Lionel Messi - 7/10 - The best player in the world was stymied by the Nashville defense but still tried orchestrate things in the final third, and it just wasn't to be for Messi and Miami on the night.
ST: Josef Martinez - 6/10 - A quiet game from the former Atlanta United player as he struggled to make an impact up front.
LW: Robert Taylor - 5/10 - Not the Finland international's best game in a Miami shirt as he wasn't as effective as he's been in recent weeks.
Substitutes
CM: Facundo Farias (45' for Dixon Arroyo) - 6/10 - Tried to make things happen when coming on but it wasn't enough.
CM: Benjamin Cremaschi (70' for Diego Gomez) - 6.5/10 - Came on and made an instant impact linking up with Jordi Alba.
LW: David Ruiz (70' for Robert Taylor) - 6/10 - Provided a bit of a spark here and there but encountered the same problems as his attacking teammates - Nashville's defensive set up.
ST: Leonardo Campana ( 70' for Josef Martinez) - 5/10 - Tracked back on a few occasions to help out defensively, but didn't offer much going forward.
Manager
Gerardo 'Tata' Martino - 6/10 - His decision to leave Cremaschi out of the starting lineup again was questionable, but his changes helped the Herons create more chances late in the game.
Player of the match - Kamal Miller (Inter Miami)
The Lionel Messi era is officially underway - watch live as history unfolds with MLS Season Pass. Click here to subscribe!
This article was originally published on 90min as Inter Miami 0-0 Nashville SC: Player ratings as the Herons and Lionel Messi stifled in scoreless draw .