MLS

Nashville SC 1-2 Inter Miami: Alba stunner sees Herons maintain winning form without Messi and Suarez

By Sports Desk June 30, 2024

Jordi Alba filled in for his absent Inter Miami stars Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez as the Herons made it three MLS wins on the spin with a 2-1 victory over Nashville SC.

With his former Barcelona team-mates Messi and Suarez away at the Copa America, Alba provided the stardust as he volleyed home in the 44th minute on Saturday to put the away team 2-0 up.

The Spaniard's sensational strike, which came with an expected goals (xG) value of just 0.01, arrived four minutes after Ian Fray had headed home from Julian Gressel's corner to nose Miami ahead.

Yannick Bright's clumsy challenge on Tyler Boyd provided Hany Mukhtar the chance to drag Nashville back into the contest in the second half - an opportunity the German duly took from the penalty spot.

Forster Ajago almost completed the comeback, but Miami goalkeeper Drake Callender made a fine save to deny the hosts a late equaliser.

Miami remain top of the Eastern Conference, two points clear of FC Cincinnati.

Data Debrief: Gressel the creator

Gressel provided an assist to Fray for Miami's opener against Columbus Crew on June 19, and that duo teamed up again this time out.

Since he joined MLS in 2017, Gressel has provided 62 assists, with only Cincinnati's Luciano Acosta (65) setting up more goals.

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    PLAYERS TO WATCH

    Columbus Crew – Cucho Hernandez

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    Nashville SC – Tyler Boyd

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    MATCH PREDICTION: COLUMBUS CREW WIN

    Columbus have won three of their previous eight meetings with Nashville in MLS, winning their last such home match against the Coyotes in June 2023 (2-0).

    Having gone on a seven-match winless streak from late March to early May, Columbus have since lost just one of their last seven in MLS (winning the other six).

    Nashville are unbeaten in their previous four road matches, conceding just once in that run (during a 2-1 win over Toronto FC). They will be hoping to extend that run by getting their first win at Columbus since April 2022.

    OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

    Columbus Crew – 58.2%

    Draw – 27.18%

    Nashville SC – 20%

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