Martino plays down Messi injury as Inter Miami advance in Champions Cup

Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez continued their prolific partnership in club football with both on target as Inter Miami reached the quarter-finals of the Concacaf Champions Cup with a 3-1 win over Nashville on Wednesday.

With the first leg ending in a 2-2 draw, Miami were quick into their stride, with Messi setting up Suarez for the eighth-minute opener and then the Argentine found the target himself in the 23rd minute.

Robert Taylor, on for Messi in the second half, added a third on 63 minutes with a fine header before Sam Sturridge scored a late consolation for Nashville as Mimai advanced 5-3 on aggregate.

There was some concern for Gerardo 'Tata' Martino as Messi was replaced on 50 minutes, though the Miami coach downplayed the severity of the injury to the Argentine.

"He has an overload in his right hamstring," Martino said of Messi's complaint. "So we didn't want to take any risks. We tried to see if he could hold on a bit longer but it was bothering him and we preferred to take him out of the game.

"I imagine that for Saturday's game [at DC United] he is not going to be available," said Martino.

Miami, playing in the competition for the first time, will face the winner of Thursday's second leg between Mexico's Monterrey and MLS's FC Cincinnati in the quarter-finals.

The Liga MX team are at home and lead 1-0 from the first leg.

The first leg in Tennessee had seen Nashville take a two-goal lead before goals from Messi and Suarez inspired a comeback for a 2-2 draw.

And it was the former Barcelona pair that proved to be the difference again as Miami took control from the outset.

Messi had an early opportunity when he was brought down on the edge of the box, providing him with a free kick from a central position but his