Lionel Messi and Inter Miami continue their charge for a playoff spot as they take on Nashville SC at home in Major League Soccer action.
Nashville will be the first repeat opponent of Messi's Inter Miami career, having just faced off in the Leagues Cup final around two weeks ago.
When that tournament concluded and MLS play returned, Inter Miami sat 14 points adrift of a playoff spot with 12 matches to go — a mountainous climb to secure an improbable postseason berth. They got off to a good start, topping the New York Red Bulls 2-0 over the weekend, an all-around positive victory as the team looked impressive and managed to give both Messi and Sergio Busquets a rest.
Messi is in his own individual chase as well, hoping to catch the league's goalscoring leaders after picking up his first MLS goal off the bench against the Red Bulls. He will match up against the current leader, Nashville's Hany Mukhtar, who sits on 13 for the year.
LIVE BLOG: Follow along with highlights & commentary as Inter Miami meet Nashville SC
Inter Miami vs Nashville SC live stream, TV channel
| Streaming | |
|---|---|
| Global | Apple TV+ (MLS Season Pass) |
The match between Inter Miami and Nashville SC is shown globally on Apple TV+ as part of the MLS Season Pass package.
Additionally, the game was selected as one of the free games on this midweek matchday, meaning Inter Miami vs. Nashville SC can be watched without a subscription to Apple TV or MLS Season Pass. All that's required is access to the app.
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What time does Inter Miami vs Nashville SC kick off?
This MLS match at DRV PNK Stadium kicks off on Wednesday, August 30 at 7:30 p.m. local time in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
Here's how that time translates across some of the major territories:
| Date | Kickoff time | |
| USA | Wed, Aug. 30 | 7:30 p.m. ET |
| Canada | Wed, Aug. 30 | 7:30 p.m. ET |
| UK | Thu, Aug. 31 | 12:30 a.m. BST |
| Australia | Thu, Aug. 31 | 9:30 a.m. AEST |
| India | Thu, Aug. 31 | 5 a.m. IST |
| Hong Kong | Thu, Aug. 31 | 7:30 a.m. HKT |
| Malaysia | Thu, Aug. 31 | 7:30 a.m. MYT |
| Singapore | Thu, Aug. 31 | 7:30 a.m. SGT |
| New Zealand | Thu, Aug. 31 | 11:30 a.m.NZST |
MORE: Will Lionel Messi play against Nashville?
Inter Miami vs Nashville SC starting lineups & team news
While Inter Miami's lineup was easy to predict throughout Leagues Cup play, Gerardo Martino has finally been forced to rotate his squad and thus it's hard to know quite where certain players will earn rest, and where other young players might secure additional minutes.
Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets start, as Tata Martino said on Tuesday during his pre-match media availability. At the head of the attack, it looked as if Leonardo Campana had supplanted Josef Martinez as the striker of choice, but today it's the latter who gets the start.
The biggest question for Tata Martino here was his midfield, with a number of players in good form. Benji Cremaschi and Dixon Arroyo were regulars during the Leagues Cup, but the performances of youngsters Diego Gomez, David Ruiz, and Facundo Farias have given him decisions to make. Here, it's Gomez who earns a spot, with Cremaschi on the bench.
Inter Miami starting lineup (4-3-3): Callender (GK) — Alba, Miller, Aviles, Yedlin — Cremaschi, Busquets, Arroyo — Messi, Campana, Taylor.
Surprisingly, MLS leading goal scorer Hany Mukhtar was rested from the start by Nashville SC, replaced by Randall Leal in the lineup.
There are some significant injury concerns for Nashville, most notably to defender Walker Zimmerman who has missed the last few matches and only just returned to training doing individual work. Same with striker Sam Surridge who also, like Zimmerman, has some form of undisclosed lower body injury. Midfielder Nick DePuy is out for the season with an Achilles injury.
The duo of Fafa Picault and Taylor Washington will return from suspension for this game after missing the match against Atlanta over the weekend.
Nashville SC starting lineup (4-2-3-1): Panicco (GK) — Moore, Maher, MacNaughton, Lovitz — McCarty, Anunga — Muyl, Godoy, Picault — Bunbury.
Inter Miami vs Nashville SC betting odds & lines
Inter Miami are heavy favorites in this match, especially considering how tightly these two played just over a week prior. Yet given the injuries to Nashville, and their 4-0 defeat to Atlanta over the weekend, it's understandable that some of their lustre has disappeared.
| Inter Miami win | Draw | Nashville win | Both teams to score Y / N | Over / Under 2.5 goals | MIA -0.5 | NSH +0.5 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BetMGM (USA) | -165 | +320 | +380 | -155 / +110 | -175 / +120 | -185 | +125 |
| Sports Interaction (Canada) | 1.48 | 4.58 | 5.66 | 1.64 / 1.99 | 1.61 / 2.28 | 1.54 | 2.44 |
| Top Betting Sites (UK) | 15/8 | 23/10 | 13/10 | 5/6, 5/6 | 11/10, 4/6 | — | — |
| Unibet (Australia) | 1.52 | 4.35 | 5.60 | 1.68 / 2.12 | 1.58 / 2.35 | — | — |
| Dafabet (India) | 1.60 | 4.30 | 5.20 | 1.70 / 2.12 | — | — | — |
