Argentine superstar Lionel Messi joined the 900-goal club but could not stop his Inter Miami team from getting knocked out of the Concacaf Champions Cup.
Cristian Espinoza fired home the second-half goal that sent Nashville SC to quarter-finals. The match ended 1-1 in Florida with Nashville advancing on away-goals rule.
Messi opened the scoring in the seventh minute with his 900th career goal for club and country, but reigning MLS Cup champions Miami couldn't find the net again.
Despite the result, the night belonged to Messi, who has great rival Cristiano Ronaldo in his sights. The 41-year-old Portuguese superstar is on 965 career goals and is in great form at Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League.
Messi, an eight-time Ballon D'Or winner, had previously scored 672 goals for Barcelona, 32 for Paris Saint-Germain, and a further 115 international goals for Argentina.
Messi's 900th goal came two decades after his first goal in senior football when he scored for Barcelona in a 2-0 win over Albacete in 2005 as a 17-year-old.
Speaking ahead of the match, Miami manager and former Argentina and Barcelona teammate Javier Mascherano paid tribute to the modern great.
“I've been lucky enough to see most, or many, of the goals he's scored, much closer than you all. And that's a privilege,” Mascherano said.
“The number we're talking about (900) is insane, and that's why Leo is a one of a kind.”
In the match, Sergio Reguilon set up Messi for a 10-yard shot that crept between the legs of a Nashville defender on its way into the net.
Nashville levelled as Alex Muyl's shot was blocked but bounced into the air and headed towards the goal line, where Miami goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair punched it away. The rebound fell to an unmarked Espinoza, who fired a right-footed shot inside the far post.
