Renasant Recap: Nashville Soccer Club Drops Game One of Its Audi MLS Cup Playoffs Round One Best-of-3 Series 3-1 at Inter Miami CF

• The Boys in Gold can even the series and force a decisive Game 3 with a win next Saturday, Nov. 1 at GEODIS Park
• Nashville SC midfielder Hany Mukhtar scores team-leading fifth career Audi MLS Cup Playoffs goal

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (Oct. 24, 2025) – Nashville Soccer Club will look to even its Audi MLS Cup Playoffs Eastern Conference Round One Best-of-3 series and force a decisive Game 3 when it hosts Inter Miami CF in Game 2 next Saturday, Nov. 1 at GEODIS Park after falling 3-1 to the South Florida side in Game 1 Friday night.

Major League Soccer’s 2025 Golden Boot winner Lionel Messi opened the scoring in the 19^th minute and Miami doubled its lead in the 62^nd minute courtesy of a Tadeo Allende header while Nashville SC was a man down with defender Jeisson Palacios sidelined due to MLS’ off field treatment rule which states: “If the referee stops play due to a potential player injury in which the player remains on the ground for more than 15 seconds and the medical staff enters the field of play, the player may be required to leave the field of play for two minutes.”

Messi added a goal in second half added time for a brace before Nashville SC midfielder Hany Muktar scored his fifth career playoff goal on a free kick in the match’s final seconds.

To be young: When he subbed in at the 69th minute, midfielder Matthew Corcoran became the youngest player and first teenager (19 years, 8 months, 7 days) in Nashville SC history to appear in an Audi MLS Cup Playoffs match.

First taste: Five Boys in Gold made their Audi MLS Cup Playoffs debuts Friday night: defenders Josh Bauer and Palacios and midfielders Corcoran, Eddi Tagseth and Patrick Yazbek.

Next up: Pro sports playoffs will return to Music City for the first time after a year hiatus when Nashville SC hosts Inter Miami CF in Game 2 at GEODIS Park Saturday, Nov. 1 at 6:30 p.m. CT. Fans are encouraged to wear gold to fill The Castle with Nashville’s signature color and will get to witness the unveiling of the club’s 2025 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Championship banner prior to the match.

Notes:

Nashville SC:

• is 3W-5L-1D all-time in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs
• Is 4W-8L-5D all-time against MIA (MLS Regular Season and Playoffs, Concacaf Champions Cup, Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, Leagues Cup)
• is 1W-6L-2D all-time against Miami on the road (regular season + Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup + Concacaf Champions Cup)
• is 74W-65L-63D all-time (regular season + playoffs)
• is 29W-44L-30D all-time on the road (regular season + playoffs)
• is 54W-47L-45D all-time against Eastern Conference opponents (regular season + playoffs)
• is 2W-3L-1D all-time on Fridays (regular season + playoffs)
• is 7W-11L-10D all-time during October (regular season + playoffs)

Bryan Acosta made his second career Audi MLS Cup Playoffs appearance and start and his first for Nashville SC

Josh Bauer made his first career Audi MLS Cup Playoffs appearance

Gastón Brugman made his eighth career Audi MLS Cup Playoffs appearance and his first for Nashville SC

Matthew Corcoran

• made his first career Audi MLS Cup Playoffs appearance
• became the youngest player and first teenager (19 years, 8 months, and 7 days) in Nashville SC history to appear in an Audi MLS Cup Playoffs match

Dan Lovitz is one of four players to appear in all nine of Nashville SC’s Audi MLS Cup Playoffs matches (also, Hany Mukhtar, Joe Willis, Walker Zimmerman)

Hany Mukhtar

• scored his team-leading fifth career Audi MLS Cup Playoffs goal
• is one of four players to appear in all nine of Nashville SC’s Audi MLS Cup Playoffs matches (also, Dan Lovitz, Joe Willis, Walker Zimmerman)

Alex Muyl surpassed 1,000 career minutes played in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs

Andy Najar made his second career Audi MLS Cup Playoffs appearance and start and his first for Nashville SC

Jeisson Palacios

• made his first career Audi MLS Cup Playoffs appearance and start
• led the team with 93.3% passing accuracy (minimum 40 passes completed)

Jonathan Pérez did not dress due to a thigh injury

Ahmed Qasem did not dress due to an ankle injury

Tate Schmitt made his third career Audi MLS Cup Playoffs appearance and his first for Nashville SC

Jacob Shaffelburg earned Nashville SC Man of the Match honors

Eddi Tagseth

• made his first career Audi MLS Cup Playoffs appearance and start
• led the match in distance covered with 7.3 miles

Joe Willis

• is one of four players to appear in all nine of Nashville SC’s Audi MLS Cup Playoffs matches (also, Dan Lovitz, Hany Mukhtar, Walker Zimmerman)

Patrick Yazbek made his first career Audi MLS Cup Playoffs appearance and start

Walker Zimmerman is one of four players to appear in all nine of Nashville SC’s Audi MLS Cup Playoffs matches (also, Dan Lovitz, Hany Mukhtar, Joe Willis)

Box score:

Nashville SC (0W-1L-0D in 2025 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs) at Inter Miami CF (1W-0L-0D in 2025 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs)

Oct. 24, 2025 – Chase Stadium

Final score:

NSH: 1

MIA: 3

Scoring summary:

MIA: Lionel Messi (A: Luis Suarez) 19’

MIA: Tadeo Allende (A: Ian Fray, Lionel Messi) 62’

MIA: Lionel Messi 90’ + 6

NSH: Hany Mukhtar 90’ + 11

Discipline:

MIA: Sergio Busquets (Caution) 54’

MIA: Rodrigo De Paul (Caution) 56’

NSH: Sam Surridge (Caution) 56’

Lineups:

NSH starters: Joe Willis; Dan Lovitz (Tate Schmitt 86’), Jeisson Palacios, Walker Zimmerman (C), Andy Najar (Josh Bauer 86’); Bryan Acosta (Matthew Corcoran 69’), Patrick Yazbek (Gastón Brugman 69’), Hany Mukhtar, Jacob Shaffelburg (Alex Muyl 74’), Eddi Tagseth; Sam Surridge

Substitutes: Brian Schwake, Jack Maher, Tyler Boyd, Teal Bunbury

MIA starters: Rocco Rios-Novo; Ian Fray (Gonzalo Lujan 89’), Jordi Alba, Noah Allen, Maximiliano Falcon; Sergio Busquets, Rodrigo De Paul (Yannick Bright 89’), Baltasar Rodriguez (Telasco Segovia 70’), Tadeo Allende (Mateo Silvetti 77’); Luis Suarez, Lionel Messi (C)

Substitutes: Oscar Ustari, Tomas Aviles, Fafa Picault, Ryan Sailor, Marcelo Weigandt

Match officials:

Referee: Filip Dujic

AR1: Corey Rockwell

AR2: Mike Nickerson

4TH: Armando Villareal

VAR: Michael Radchuk

AVAR: TJ Zablocki

Weather: 80 degrees and clear skies with wind gusts

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