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The Leagues Cup final was played at ], a 30,000-seat stadium in ]. The stadium is the largest ] venue in the United States and home to Nashville SC, who hosted due to their higher finish in the 2022 ] standings.<ref name="Sun-Preview"/><ref>{{cite news |last=Leyva |first=Diana |date=August 16, 2023 |title=Nashville SC vs. Inter Miami: What to know about Geodis Park ahead of Messi debut |url=https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/2023/08/16/nashville-sc-vs-inter-miami-lionel-messi-tickets-seating-more/70602761007/ |work=The Tennessean |accessdate=August 17, 2023}}</ref> Ticket sales for the final began with access for ] holders on the morning of August 16 and the general public in the afternoon.<ref>{{cite news |last=Gray |first=Nick |date=August 15, 2023 |title=Tickets to Nashville SC's Leagues Cup final against Inter Miami, Lionel Messi on sale Wednesday |url=https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/nashvillesc/2023/08/15/lionel-messi-nashville-sc-tickets-leagues-cup-final-inter-miami/70599898007/ |work=The Tennessean |accessdate=August 17, 2023}}</ref> By the end of the day, resale tickets on ] and secondary markets ranged from $484 to $12,000.<ref>{{cite news |last=Masters |first=Julia |date=August 17, 2023 |title=Ticket prices soar as Lionel Messi heads to Nashville SC's Geodis Park |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2023/08/17/lionel-messi-heads-to-nashville-sc-geodis-park.html |work=] |url-access=subscription |accessdate=August 17, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Shoup |first=Craig |date=August 16, 2023 |title=The Messi effect: Ticket prices skyrocket ahead of Nashville SC vs. Inter Miami match |url=https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/nashvillesc/2023/08/16/nashville-sc-vs-inter-miami-tickets-skyrocket-lionel-messi/70604236007/ |work=The Tennessean |accessdate=August 17, 2023}}</ref>
The Leagues Cup final was played at ], a 30,000-seat stadium in ]. The stadium is the largest ] venue in the United States and home to Nashville SC, who hosted due to their higher finish in the 2022 ] standings.<ref name="Sun-Preview"/><ref>{{cite news |last=Leyva |first=Diana |date=August 16, 2023 |title=Nashville SC vs. Inter Miami: What to know about Geodis Park ahead of Messi debut |url=https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/2023/08/16/nashville-sc-vs-inter-miami-lionel-messi-tickets-seating-more/70602761007/ |work=The Tennessean |accessdate=August 17, 2023}}</ref> Ticket sales for the final began with access for ] holders on the morning of August 16 and the general public in the afternoon.<ref>{{cite news |last=Gray |first=Nick |date=August 15, 2023 |title=Tickets to Nashville SC's Leagues Cup final against Inter Miami, Lionel Messi on sale Wednesday |url=https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/nashvillesc/2023/08/15/lionel-messi-nashville-sc-tickets-leagues-cup-final-inter-miami/70599898007/ |work=The Tennessean |accessdate=August 17, 2023}}</ref> By the end of the day, resale tickets on ] and secondary markets ranged from $484 to $12,000.<ref>{{cite news |last=Masters |first=Julia |date=August 17, 2023 |title=Ticket prices soar as Lionel Messi heads to Nashville SC's Geodis Park |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2023/08/17/lionel-messi-heads-to-nashville-sc-geodis-park.html |work=] |url-access=subscription |accessdate=August 17, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Shoup |first=Craig |date=August 16, 2023 |title=The Messi effect: Ticket prices skyrocket ahead of Nashville SC vs. Inter Miami match |url=https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/nashvillesc/2023/08/16/nashville-sc-vs-inter-miami-tickets-skyrocket-lionel-messi/70604236007/ |work=The Tennessean |accessdate=August 17, 2023}}</ref>
==National Anthem==
==National anthem==
]
]
The American Singer ] performs the national anthem before the 2023 Leagues Cup final between Nashville SC and Inter Miami CF at Geodis Park in Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
American singer ] performed the national anthem before the match.
==Broadcasting==
==Broadcasting==
Revision as of 18:38, 21 August 2023
Soccer match in Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Football match
The Leagues Cup is an annual soccer tournament for clubs from Major League Soccer (MLS) in the United States and Canada and Liga MX of Mexico. The 2023 edition, the third in the tournament's history, was the first to be expanded to include all 47 teams from the two leagues. MLS and Liga MX both paused their regular seasons for the duration of the Leagues Cup, which began with a group stage in mid-July and would conclude with the final in mid-August. The entire tournament was hosted in the United States and Canada. Both finalists qualified for the 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup.
Both finalists, Nashville SC and Inter Miami CF, entered MLS as expansion teams in the 2020 season. The most recent of their six regular season meetings was on May 17, 2023, which Nashville hosted and won 2–1. Six days later, the two sides met again in the U.S. Open Cup round of 16, which Inter Miami CF hosted and won 2–1. The only previous U.S. club to play in a Leagues Cup final was Seattle Sounders FC, who lost in the 2021 edition. The last international tournament to feature two American finalists was the 2008 North American SuperLiga.
Nashville SC had qualified for the MLS Cup Playoffs in its first three seasons in the league and had advanced as far as the quarterfinals in the U.S. Open Cup, but had yet to win a trophy. The team finished tenth in the 2022 regular season standings and were seeded into the Central 4 group alongside Toluca and the Colorado Rapids. Prior to the Leagues Cup break, Nashville SC were fifth in the Supporters' Shield race but had lost five of their six most recent matches.
In their opening match against Colorado, Nashville won 2–1 with goals from substitutes Hany Mukhtar and Jacob Shaffelburg in the second half before conceding late to the Rapids. The team gained and lost its lead twice in the first half of their match against Toluca, which included a penalty awarded in stoppage time by the video assistant referee. Toluca scored again the second half and won 4–3; Nashville finished second in the group and advanced to the knockout stage after Colorado's 4–1 loss to Toluca.
They qualified for the final by defeating FC Cincinnati and América in penalty shootouts to reach the quarterfinals, where they won 5–0 against Minnesota United FC. Nashville then defeated CF Monterrey 2–0 in the semifinals; Monterrey had traveled over 7,600 miles (12,200 km) during the tournament, which the club's president complained was an unfair advantage for MLS teams.
Inter Miami CF entered MLS as an expansion team in 2020 and had yet to advance to a prior tournament final. The team finished twelfth in the 2022 regular season standings and were seeded into the South 3 group. Before the Leagues Cup break, Miami were at the bottom of the Eastern Conference in regular season play with 18 points in 22 matches and on an 11-match winless streak. During the 2023 summer transfer window, the club signed forward Lionel Messi, midfielder Sergio Busquets, and defender Jordi Alba, all former FC Barcelona players and among the world's best in their positions. Head coach Phil Neville was fired on June 1 and temporarily replaced by assistant Javier Morales until Gerardo "Tata" Martino joined in July.
Miami won 2–1 in their Leagues Cup debut against Cruz Azul with the winning goal, a stoppage time free kick, scored by Messi in his first appearance for the club. The team then won 4–0 against Atlanta United FC with braces for Messi and Robert Taylor and finished atop of the South 3 group. Inter Miami remained at home to play against in-state rivals Orlando City SC in the round of 32 and won 3–1 with two goals from Messi. The team's first away match of the tournament, against FC Dallas in the round of 16, was tied 4–4 in regulation time and was decided in a penalty shootout. Miami won the shootout 5–3 and advanced to the quarterfinals, where they defeated Charlotte FC 4–0. In the semifinals, Inter Miami won 4–1 on the road to the Philadelphia Union with goals from Josef Martínez, Messi, Alba, and David Ruiz.
During their six matches in the Leagues Cup, Inter Miami CF scored 21 goals—one fewer than they did in their 22 regular season matches prior to Messi's arrival. Messi entered the final as the tournament's top goalscorer with nine goals, two ahead of Bongokuhle Hlongwane.
Summary of results
Note: In all results below, the score of the finalist is given first (H: home; A: away). All matches were decided through a penalty shootout (p) if scores were tied after regulation time.
The Leagues Cup final was played at Geodis Park, a 30,000-seat stadium in Nashville, Tennessee. The stadium is the largest soccer-specific venue in the United States and home to Nashville SC, who hosted due to their higher finish in the 2022 Supporters' Shield standings. Ticket sales for the final began with access for season ticket holders on the morning of August 16 and the general public in the afternoon. By the end of the day, resale tickets on Ticketmaster and secondary markets ranged from $484 to $12,000.
National anthem
American singer Colbie Caillat performed the national anthem before the match.
Maximum of five substitutions to be made during three windows (including half-time). Two additional substitutions are available for concussed players and do not count towards the five substitutions or three windows.
Post-match
As winner of the Leagues Cup final, Inter Miami CF earned $2 million in prize money and qualified directly for the round of 16 in the 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup. Miami goalkeeper Drake Callender was named the man of the match for his saves and deciding penalty kick in the shootout. Lionel Messi was awarded the Best Player of the tournament and was also the top goalscorer with 10 goals; the Leagues Cup was the 44th trophy of his professional career, which set the record for most decorated player in history.
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Geodis Park in Nashville hosted the final.
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Nashville SC
Cruz Azul
57'
Nashville SC
82'
54'
82'
