Messi held pointless as Inter Miami and Nashville play to scoreless draw in CONCACAF Champions Cup

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Lionel Messi was held scoreless and Inter Miami and Nashville SC played to a scoreless draw in the teams' first game in the CONCACAF Champions Cup round of 16 on Wednesday night.

The teams will meet again on March 18 at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale to decide which squad advances to the quarterfinal round.

Entering the contest, Messi had scored in six straight games against Nashville, dating to April 20, 2024, posting 12 goals and five assists in that stretch. Messi was held without a point for the second time in four games after being held off the scoresheet in a 3-0 loss to Los Angeles FC on Feb. 21.

Messi had a chance, finishing with a shot and completing 79% of his passes. His scoring opportunity came in the 55th minute as he came streaking down the left side and got off a shot that was saved by Nashville goalkeeper Bruan Schwake.

Messi's one shot on target was his lowest single-game shot total since Nov. 29, in the MLS Cup Eastern Conference final against New York City FC. In that game, he had no shots on net, but did have an assist, in Inter Miami's 5-1 win.

Inter Miami dominated possession, controlling the ball for 59% of the game. Nashville pushed the play, recording 15 total shots to Miami's eight, four of which were on target.

Nashville's best chance came off a corner from Cristian Espinoza in the 65th minute. His throw-in found Reed Baker-Whiting in the box. However, Baker-Whiting sent a header just over the crossbar.

Inter Miami's Maximiliano Falcón was injured in the seventh minute and left the game. He was replaced by Gonzalo Luján.

The winner of the Nashville-Miami series will face either Club América or the Philadelphia Union in quarterfinals. Club América defeated Philadelphia 1-0 on Wednesday in Chester, Pennsylvania. The elimination game will be held on March 18 at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.

Advancement in the CONCACAF Champions Cup is decided on aggregate goals, with the team scoring the most goals over two games advancing. If Nashville and Miami are scoreless at the end of 90 minutes in their next game, the teams will go into extra time and then penalty kicks.

Inter Miami defender Noah Allen, left, protests a play by Nashville SC forward Sam Surridge, right, in the first half of a CONCACAF Champions Cup Round of 16 soccer match Wednesday, March 11, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Inter Miami's Rodrigo de Paul, left, and Nashville SC's Matthew Corcoran, right, battler for the ball in the first half of a CONCACAF Champions Cup Round of 16 soccer match Wednesday, March 11, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi, center, chases the ball as he is defended by Nashville SC midfielder Patrick Yazbek, left, and defender Maxwell Woledzi (3) in the first half of a CONCACAF Champions Cup Round of 16 soccer match Wednesday, March 11, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi, left, moves the ball against Nashville SC midfielder Patrick Yazbek in the first half of a CONCACAF Champions Cup Round of 16 soccer match Wednesday, March 11, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick of Florida resigned Tuesday moments before a hearing was to begin to consider what punishment to recommend after a House ethics panel found she had committed numerous campaign finance and reporting violations.

The congresswoman was facing the possible threat of expulsion, something that has only occurred six times in the history of the House. Support from her own party was increasingly in doubt.

It's the third resignation in a little more than a week from a House lawmaker. Reps. Eric Swalwell, a California Democrat, and Tony Gonzales, a Texas Republican, announced within hours of each other that they were leaving Congress. Both men were facing sexual misconduct allegations and possible expulsion.

In a statement, Chefilus-McCormick said a House committee denied her new attorney's request for more time to prepare a defense. Cherfilus-McCormick said she would not pretend that the investigation had been anything other than a “witch hunt,” and rather than play political games, she would choose to step away and her resignation was effective immediately.

“But let me say this plainly: we should be very careful about the precedent we are setting in this country, we do not punish people before due process is complete," she said. "We do not allow allegations alone to override the will of the people. That is a dangerous patch, and one that should concern every American, regardless of party.”

The committee had previously determined she committed 25 violations of House rules and ethical standards, including breaking campaign finance laws.

She is also facing federal criminal charges accusing her of stealing $5 million in federal disaster funds and using the money to buy items such as a 3-carat yellow diamond ring.

Cherfilus-McCormick has pleaded not guilty to the criminal charges and says she is not guilty of ethics violations, either.

The allegations against the congresswoman center on how she received millions of dollars from her family’s health care business after Florida mistakenly overpaid the business by roughly $5 million with COVID-19 disaster relief funds. She is accused of using that money to fund her 2022 congressional campaign through a network of businesses and family members.

Cherfilus-McCormick declined to testify during a previous Ethics Committee hearing, citing her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. Her attorney, William Barzee, sparred with some of the lawmakers and argued that they should have allowed a thorough ethics trial, at which he could present witnesses and evidence to counter the conclusions of House investigators.

A group of supporters in Cherfilus-McCormick's congressional district had weighed in on her behalf with the lawmakers who lead the Ethics Committee, urging committee leaders to proceed with caution in sanctioning her.

“Our communities deserve stability. Our voices deserve to be heard. And our right to representation must be protected,” said one of the letters sent to the committee and signed by about a dozen local faith leaders, union officials and others.

Rep. Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y., chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, along with other members of the caucus, issued a statement that said during Cherfilus-McCormick's time in Congress she “worked to uplift her constituents and elevate issues impacting underserved communities at home and abroad.”

“We extend our appreciation for her service and offer our prayers for her and her family," the caucus members said.

In all, the panel's two-year investigation led to the issuance of 59 subpoenas, 28 witness interviews and a review of more than 33,000 pages of documents.

House Democratic leaders had declined to condemn Cherfilus-McCormick, saying they wanted to see the ethics process play out. Potential punishments included a reprimand or a censure, which serve as forms of public rebuke. The committee could also have recommended a fine. The most severe form of punishment is expulsion.

But the House has historically been reluctant to serve as the final arbiter of a lawmaker’s career, preferring to give that final say to the voters. Of the six House members expelled, the first three fought for the Confederacy during the Civil War and were expelled for disloyalty. The next two had been convicted of crimes. The final one was George Santos, the scandal-plagued freshman who was the subject of a blistering ethics report on his conduct as well as federal indictment. Santos, a New York Republican, served time in prison for ripping off his campaign donors before President Donald Trump granted him clemency, and he has apologized to his former constituents.

Under the Constitution, at least two-thirds of the House has to vote for expulsion for it to occur, a high threshold that requires enormous bipartisan support.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told reporters last week he believed the House would move to expel Cherfilus-McCormick.

“The facts are indisputable at this point," Johnson said.

FILE - Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, D-Fla., condemns hate speech and misinformation about Haitian immigrants, at the Capitol in Washington, Sept. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)