MIAMI — Sam Surridge’s 91st-minute equalizer rescued Nashville SC in a 2-2 draw against Inter Miami at Nu Stadium, preserving the Coyotes’ nine-point lead atop the Eastern Conference and their eight-point cushion over Vancouver Whitecaps FC in the Supporters’ Shield race with nine matches remaining.
Surridge opened the scoring in the fourth minute and completed his brace in second-half stoppage time, poking home off a Dayne St. Clair rebound to deny the reigning MLS Cup champions a comeback victory. The Designated Player striker improved to 15 goals and one assist on the season.
“This was a big boys’ game tonight,” Nashville head coach B.J. Callaghan told reporters. “Two really good teams going toe to toe.”
Lionel Messi had pulled Miami level in the 62nd minute with a first-time curler that reclaimed sole possession of the MLS Golden Boot lead over FC Dallas’ Petar Musa. The Argentine now has 19 goals and 13 assists on the season.
“God gave him this gift,” Inter Miami interim manager Guillermo Hoyos said of Messi. “He’s a one-of-a-kind player, he’s one of a kind. He cannot be repeated.”
The result extended Nashville’s recent dominance over Miami. The Coyotes eliminated the Herons in the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16 and delivered a 4-1 blowout at GEODIS Park last month in MLS play.
“I thought the game had a lot of intensity, a lot of physicality, some high-level play,” Callaghan said. “Really proud of the group.”
Both clubs have nine regular-season matches left to settle the Shield race and Eastern Conference seeding heading into the MLS Cup playoffs.