By Milcah Tanimu

Lionel Messi, the renowned Inter Miami player, was unable to find the net during his inaugural Major League Soccer (MLS) match on home turf, resulting in a 0-0 stalemate against Nashville SC.

Despite this outcome, the match extended Inter Miami’s impressive undefeated streak to 10 games.

In a departure from his usual form, Messi did not manage to register a goal or an assist during his time with Inter Miami in this match.

Nevertheless, he led the match in shots taken, with a total of seven attempts, and came agonizingly close to clinching victory in the final moments of the game. However, Nashville’s goalkeeper, Elliot Panicco, thwarted Messi’s attempt with his weaker right foot, preserving the goalless draw.

Throughout his Inter Miami tenure, which began in July when he joined MLS, the Argentine star had participated in nine matches. Notably, all nine matches had concluded with victories – six secured through regular play and three via penalty shootouts, spanning competitions such as the Leagues Cup, U.S. Open Cup, and MLS fixtures.

However, on this particular Wednesday, Messi’s trademark left-foot magic failed to yield a game-changing moment, resulting in a point drop for Miami in its challenging endeavor to secure a spot in the MLS playoffs. This marked the first occasion since Messi’s arrival that Inter Miami failed to find the back of the net.