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Inter Miami upset 2.0? Nashville SC force Game 3 | MLSSoccer.com

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Inter Miami upset 2.0? Nashville SC force Game 3 | MLSSoccer.com


The Coyotes fought to a memorable 2-1 win at GEODIS Park on Saturday, keeping their Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs hopes alive behind goals from Sam Surridge and Josh Bauer.

Lionel Messi pulled one back late for the Herons, but Nashville held on to send the Round One Best-of-3 Series down to the wire.

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Both sides will play for a spot in the Eastern Conference Semifinals on Nov. 8 at Chase Stadium.

“I think our group was committed to responding to play our way here at home,” said head coach B.J. Callaghan, praising his side’s response from a 3-1 loss in Game 1.

“We did that from the opening whistle. And it’s just about making sure that we take that mentality with us, no matter if we’re home or away, in another game where it’s win or go home.”

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Statement performance

After conceding eight goals to Miami across their last two meetings, the Coyotes put in a monumental defensive effort to hold the visitors to just a single, late goal.

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“You can talk a lot about tactics and on-the-field stuff. I think this game wasn’t so much about that,” said Bauer, who started at left back in place of the injured Daniel Lovitz. “You know, we made little tweaks and we watched the video and did some things differently.

“But this game, this game was between the ears and in your hearts. And you could see that, I think, from everyone tonight. Little cold and rainy. Perfect for us just to be dogs out there.”

Saturday was Nashville’s 10th meeting against Miami since Messi’s arrival in the summer of 2023. They hadn’t won any of those, notably losing the Leagues Cup 2023 final and being knocked out of the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup by the South Florida side, among other setbacks.

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For the Coyotes, it was important to remind themselves – and the league – that it’s not as one-sided a rivalry as recent history might indicate.

“We can go toe to toe like we did tonight and play the type of game that we want to play,” said Bauer. “We talk about the game within the game and all the little extra stuff that goes on. We’ve got to be nasty. We’ve got to show that. But I think this gives us a lot of confidence, the first time beating Miami and kind of getting that monkey off our back.”

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2024 all over again?

Heading into a pivotal Game 3, Nashville hope to ensure Miami exit the playoffs in Round One for the second year in a row.

The 2024 Supporters’ Shield winners suffered an all-time upset last season when No. 9 seed Atlanta United overcame a Game 1 loss by winning the next two matches to send that year’s favorites packing.

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While that certainly has to be in the back of Nashville’s mind, they’re focusing less on Atlanta’s performance last year and more on the successes they’ve already had in 2025. Winning the US Open Cup, their first trophy in club history, has given them the belief – and the hardware – to validate the idea that they can win crucial, knockout matches against great teams.

“We’re in a constant state of trying to get better… and we get better from using those past experiences,” said Callaghan. “There’s a lot of things that we can point to. Like playing in an elimination tournament like the Open Cup… There’s that pressure of it’s win or go home. That’s an easy one.”

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“It’s hard to win on the road in this league, and we know it’s going to take an effort even greater than what we had tonight to beat them on the road,” added Bauer. “I know that B.J. and the rest of the staff are going to have us prepared and ready to go and put our best foot forward.

“These are when the lights are the brightest. We’ve got to be up for it.”

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‘Confident’ Bencic takes out Anisimova, eyes Gauff next in Miami

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‘Confident’ Bencic takes out Anisimova, eyes Gauff next in Miami


A “super clean and confident” performance from Belinda Bencic earned her an upset of one Top 10-ranked American at the Miami Open on Monday night — and she’s hoping that form carries over into another in less than 24 hours.

Miami: Scores | Draws | Order of play

The No. 12 seed led nearly wire-to-wire in a 6-2, 6-2 thumping of No. 6 seed Amanda Anisimova to put her through to a 12th career WTA 1000 quarterfinal, and second in Miami after she reached the 2022 semifinals. She’ll face another Florida resident, No. 4 seed Coco Gauff, on Tuesday night in the hopes of matching her tournament best from four years ago.

Bencic had good reason to praise her play against Anisimova, in a match that was projected to be a late-afternoon affair but ended up taking the court at 9 p.m. after three of the four matches preceding it on Grandstand stretched to three sets. She landed 87% of her first serves, winning 72% of those points, and hit 19 winners in 14 games to break a 2-2 head-to-head tie against the two-time Grand Slam singles finalist.

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She saved the only break point she faced, too, which came when she was already ahead 6-2, 4-1. 

Bencic next looks to complete a personal Sunshine Double of sorts against Gauff as she eyes back-to-back Top 10 victories on the WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz.

Though the American has won four of their previous six meetings, Bencic’s most-recent win came in the Round of 16 at the BNP Paribas Open last year.

More to come…

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Miami-Dade trainer helps young athletes chase their next big opportunity

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Miami-Dade trainer helps young athletes chase their next big opportunity


KENDALL, Fla. — With March Madness underway and Division I athletes back in the spotlight, the level of training it takes to compete at the top of college sports is getting plenty of attention.

In Kendall, one coach is working every day to help young athletes reach that level.

Kevin Lopez is the fitness director at D1 Training Kendall, where the focus is helping athletes get stronger, faster and more confident.

For Lopez, the work is personal. His own athletic career started with a similar opportunity growing up in Miami.

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“I got trained by a guy down here in Miami who focused on strength and conditioning, specifically for athletes — for kids that are trying develop, improve and go to college,” Lopez said. “It allowed me to be one of the top receivers in that year for our district, which gave me opportunities to go play at Iowa.”

That experience changed his path and ultimately brought him back home.

Now Lopez says his mission is to give other athletes the same type of chance.

“I want to try and help out as many people as I can, to give them that same opportunity, or at least get them as close as they can to reach that if that’s a goal that they have for themselves,” he said.

Inside the gym at D1 Kendall, the training goes well beyond basic workouts.

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“We focus on lateral movements, we focus on their agility, their quickness, we focus on building that upper body strength as well,” he said.

Just as important, he says, is helping athletes stay healthy and confident.

“A lot of kids are coming in to build their confidence,” Lopez said. “It’s not just to improve their speed, their agility, their quickness to transition over to the field or to the court.”

The gym has also become a place where athletes feel comfortable pushing themselves.

“We’re just trying to build a community around here,” Lopez said. “We’re trying to expand and touch as many people, as many athletes, as many adults as we can.”

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“This is a home for them,” he added. “And they have somewhere they’re going to come, feel at ease, not feel intimidated.”

To learn more about D1 Kendall, visit their website.

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Sebastian Korda stuns world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz at 2026 Miami Open | Tennis.com

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Sebastian Korda stuns world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz at 2026 Miami Open | Tennis.com


Korda threatened to run away with the second set when he won three games in a row and earned a chance for a double-break lead. Alcaraz held on until it came time for Korda to serve for the match.

Keeping the pressure on, Alcaraz secured a love-break and reeled off five straight games to force a final set.

Undaunted, Korda snapped the streak to get back on the board and weathered some stellar play from Alcaraz to score the first break of the decider.

Down 3-5 for a third straight set, Alcaraz made another brave last stand to force Korda to serve for the match. Korda made no mistake this time, putting away a backhand to set up two match points. Alcaraz saved the first but Korda claimed the second with one last well-struck serve.

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Standing between Korda and a return trip to the quarterfinals will be either No. 14 seed Karen Khachanov or Spanish qualifier Martín Landaluce.



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