Lionel Messi scored in his MLS debut to lead Inter Miami to a valuable three points to begin the climb from the bottom of the MLS standings. Ahead of MLS matchday 29, we look at Inter Miami vs. Nashville SC odds and Lionel Messi props, and offer a few predictions for Wednesday night’s encounter.
Odds for Inter Miami vs. Nashville SC MLS Match
Here are Inter Miami vs. Nashville SC betting lines found at the best sports betting apps, where Miami is priced as the large moneyline favorite of , and the draw is :
Inter Miami Leagues Cup Roster, Injuries & Betting News
Just over one month after making his move to the United States, former FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star Messi has already led Inter Miami to its first championship, the Leagues Cup. He is one win away from a second title after helping his new club advance to the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final, to take place later this month.
With the cup action out of the way, Messi and Co. have started their climb up the MLS standings with a win over the New York Red Bulls. The Argentine scored in his league debut, with 12 goals separating him from the top of the Golden Boot race, and now returns home for the first of two matches this week and a potential six points on the table.
Considered by many as the best active player in the sport of soccer, and for some, the best ever, Messi captured the last missing trophy on his resume by guiding Argentina to a FIFA World Cup title last November. Now the 36-year-old forward has taken the U.S. sports landscape by storm by scoring 11 goals in his first nine games with Inter Miami.
League action has resumed in MLS and now the focus for Inter Miami is to improve in the standings in the Eastern Conference to a top-nine spot for an MLS Cup Playoffs berth. The team won last weekend against New York Red Bulls and faces Nashville SC at home on Wednesday.
For Messi to be successful, Miami also hired his former coach at Barcelona and Argentina Gerardo “Tata” Martino, who knows MLS well after guiding Atlanta United to the 2018 MLS Cup. Additionally, Messi’s former Barça teammates Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba have complemented the roster, and young legs have been brought in by way of an additional $15.5 million spent on transfers for young South American players like Facundo Farias.
Roster
Josef Martinez was once a terrorizing MLS goalscorer when he set a new season scoring record in 2018, and Leonardo Campana was one of Miami’s top goal generators last season. Both are regaining their form with Messi, and that could quickly turn the Inter frontline into an intimidating one for defenses.
Other forwards like Robert Taylor, Benjamin Cremaschi, and David Ruiz have become additional threats in attack with the service of the Argentine. Busquets and Alba have helped the organization in defense, which already included the likes of MLS veterans Kamal Miller and DeAndre Yedlin.
Rising goalkeeper Drake Callender is the man between the sticks and shined in the penalty shootout to win the Leagues Cup over Nashville. With Miami finding consistent wins, expect them to rise up into the playoff picture in the coming weeks.
Injuries
Out: Gregore (Lisfranc), Franco Negri (ACL), Corentin Jean (ACL), Ian Fray (ACL)
Nashville SC Leagues Cup Roster, Injuries & Betting News
Moving up to MLS from the second-division USL Championship, Nashville had a different road to the U.S. top division than its 2020 expansion counterpart Miami. After playing its first two seasons at the Titans stadium, the club moved to its own building last year with the opening of Geodis Park – a 30,000 soccer-specific stadium.
Nashville has one of the most electric atmospheres in MLS when it’s stadium and has incorporated its city’s music culture into things like recording home goals in-stadium on a vinyl record or releasing a Johnny Cash-inspired jersey.
Retired English footballer Gary Smith, former MLS Cup winning coach in 2010, turned Nashville into one of the league’s better-defending teams before bringing in an offensive star in 2022 MLS MVP Hany Mukhtar. While they missed out on the Leagues Cup, this Nashville side is very much a contender to lift silverware this year.
Roster
Hany Mukhtar, the star of Nashville SC, leads the league with 13 goals and is the favorite to earn the Golden Boot.
The German attacking midfielder is the spark of his team’s offense and is capable of supplying assists, leading his team with eight.
Offseason acquisition Fafa Picault is second on the list with four goals and scored in the Leagues Cup Final against Miami to help the team to a penalty kick shootout. Picault will also be plenty motivated for this match as a Miami native and a player who will likely have plenty of family and friends in attendance.
Canadians Lukas MacNaughton and Jacob Shaffelburg, Costa Rican Randall Leal, and Panamanian Aníbal Godoy are some that round out the international supporting cast.
Injuries
Recent arrival Sam Surridge, who had a good scoring run a few weeks back, and U.S. men’s national team captain Walker Zimmerman are two players listed as doubtful and are absences that would impact the game in Miami’s favor.
Doubtful: Walker Zimmerman (Lower Body Injury), Sam Surridge (Lower Body Injury)
Out: Nick DePuy (Lower Body Injury)
Lionel Messi Goalscorer Props + More Inter Miami vs. Nashville SC Wagering Options
Below is a sampling of props for Wednesday’s Inter Miami vs. Nashville SC MLS game. Lionel Messi is a heavy favorite to score, but there are plus-money odds in betting on him scoring first and last and multiple times.
Anytime Goalscorer (BetMGM):
- Lionel Messi (MIA) -225
- Josef Martinez (MIA) +125
- Leonardo Campana (MIA) +170
- Hany Mukhtar (NSH) +230
- Robert Taylor (MIA) +260
- Benjamin Cremaschi (MIA) +320
- Fafa Picault (NSH) +350
- Facundo Farias (MIA) +350
- Sam Surridge (NSH) +350
- Teal Bunbury (NSH) +400
- Jacob Shaffelburg (NSH) +450
- Randall Leal (NSH) +450
- David Ruiz (MIA) +700
- Jordi Alba (MIA) +750
- Walker Zimmerman (NSH) +800
- Sergio Busquets (MIA) +1o00
- Dax McCarty (NSH) +1100
- Kamal Miller (MIA) +1200
- Anibal Godoy (NSH) +1200
- DeAndre Yedlin (MIA) +1600
- Shaq Moore (NSH) +2200
- Daniel Lovitz (NSH) +2200
First / Last Goalscorer (BetMGM):
- Lionel Messi (MIA) +200
- Josef Martinez (MIA) +400
- Leonardo Campana (MIA) +500
- Hany Mukhtar (NSH) +650
- Robert Taylor (MIA) +700
- Benjamin Cremaschi (MIA) +800
- Fafa Picault (NSH) +900
- Facundo Farias (MIA) +900
- Sam Surridge (NSH) +900
- Teal Bunbury (NSH) +1000
- Jacob Shaffelburg (NSH) +1100
- Randall Leal (NSH) +1100
- David Ruiz (MIA) +1600
- Jordi Alba (MIA) +1800
- Walker Zimmerman (NSH) +1800
- Sergio Busquets (MIA) +2800
- Dax McCarty (NSH) +2800
- Kamal Miller (MIA) +3300
- Anibal Godoy (NSH) +3300
- DeAndre Yedlin (MIA) +4000
- Shaq Moore (NSH) +6600
- Daniel Lovitz (NSH) +6600
Player To Score Two or More (Caesars):
- Lionel Messi (MIA) +270
- Josef Martinez (MIA) +800
- Leonardo Campana (MIA) +1100
- Hany Mukhtar (NSH) +1600
- Robert Taylor (MIA) +1800
- Benjamin Cremaschi (MIA) +2200
- Fabrice “Fafa” Picault (NSH) +2800
Time of First Goal (Caesars):
- 1st to 15th Minute +175
- 16th to 30th Minute +255
- 31st Minute to Half Time +380
- 46th to 60th Minute +750
- 61st to 75th Minute +1100
- 76th Minute to Full Time +1300
- No Goal +1300
Correct Score (FanDuel):
- Miami 1-0: +750
- Miami 2-0: +700
- Miami 2-1: +700
- Miami 3-0: +1100
- Nashville 1-0: +2100
- Nashville 2-0: +3600
- Nashville 2-1: +1800
- Nashville 3-0: +9000
- 0-0: +1600
- 1-1: +800
- 2-2: +1400
- 3-3: +5500
Over/Under Total Goals (BetRivers):
- Over 1.5 goals -560, Under 1.5 goals: +380
- Over 2.5 goals -162, Under 2.5 goals: +132
- Over 3.5 goals +155, Under 3.5 goals: -195
- Over 4.5 goals +360, Under 4.5 goals: -530
- Over 5.5 goals +850, Under 5.5 goals: -1667
Messi to score (Bet365):
- Anytime Goalscorer: -225
- First Goalscorer: +200
- Last Goalscorer: +200
- Two or more goals: +187
- Three or more goals: +650
- Goal Method – Header: +2500
- Goal Method – Outside the Box: +350
- Time of First Goal – 1-20 +500
- Time of First Goal – 21-45 +700
- Time of First Goal – 46th min. or later +1100
Inter Miami vs. Nashville SC Prediction
Miami is in need of points to get up the Eastern Conference table sooner rather than later. It helps that the team is in its best moment of the season and Messi has been supplying goals, scoring a lot of those himself, over the course of the last month.
Three points at home are vital and expect Miami to get on the board fast and put this game to bed early. They have another big test on Sunday against reigning MLS Cup champions Los Angeles FC. More importantly, Messi is expected to miss the following match to join Argentina in FIFA World Cup qualifying for the 2026 tournament.
Here are a few bets that are worth considering:
- Inter Miami to cover -1.5: +135 (Caesars)
- Over 3.5 Goals: +160 (FanDuel)
- Anytime Scorer: Lionel Messi -225, Josef Martinez +125, Leonardo Campana +170, Hany Mukhtar +230, Fafa Picault +350 (BetMGM)
- First Goalscorer: Lionel Messi +200 (BetMGM)
Inter Miami vs. Nashville SC Broadcast Info: Where to Watch
- Date/Time: Wednesday, August 30, 7:30 p.m. ET
- Location: DRV PNK Stadium
Watch this match at one of the following:
- MLS Season Pass on Apple TV (English/Spanish)
About the Author
