Inter Miami produced a remarkable turnaround in Major League Soccer as Lionel Messi led the team to a stunning 4–2 victory over Orlando City, erasing a two-goal deficit within the first 24 minutes. The match on Monday morning started disastrously for Miami, who had also lost 2–0 in their season opener against Los Angeles FC. By halftime, the score remained 2–0, leaving the team and its supporters in visible despair after a challenging start to the season.
The first half reflected the difficulties Miami faced despite their strengthened squad this season, with new signings yet to make a clear impact. Orlando City capitalised on Miami’s early struggles: Marco Pasalic opened the scoring in the 18th minute, and Martin Ojeda doubled the lead at 24 minutes, putting Miami on the back foot early in the contest.
During the halftime interval, Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano made decisive changes. Left-back Noa Allen was replaced by forward Mateo Silvetti, a move that shifted the momentum dramatically. At 49 minutes, 20-year-old Silvetti struck from outside the box to reduce the deficit to 2–1, giving Miami renewed hope.
Messi then delivered his trademark magic. In the 57th minute, he navigated a dense defensive wall of six players to score a sublime left-footed goal, bringing the score to 2–2. The Argentine maestro continued to dictate play, orchestrating attacks and energising his teammates. In the 85th minute, assisted by Messi, Talisca Segovia scored to give Miami the lead for the first time. Messi sealed the victory in the 90th minute with a spectacular free-kick from outside the box, marking his 70th free-kick goal.
Messi’s statistics in MLS are now extraordinary: in 55 regular-season matches, he has scored 52 goals, including 51 goals in his last 49 matches. His career goal tally now stands at 898, leaving him just two goals shy of the 900-goal milestone.
After the match, coach Mascherano told Apple TV, “Orlando was a very tough opponent last season. Their team and coach are excellent. To win here, we needed a perfect performance. I enjoy matches like this as a player.”
Inter Miami will face their next challenge on Saturday at Audi Field in Washington against DC United.
Match Summary
| Minute | Event | Goal Scorer | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | Goal | Marco Pasalic (Orlando) | 1–0 |
| 24 | Goal | Martin Ojeda (Orlando) | 2–0 |
| 49 | Goal | Mateo Silvetti (Miami) | 2–1 |
| 57 | Goal | Lionel Messi (Miami) | 2–2 |
| 85 | Goal | Talisca Segovia (Miami) | 3–2 |
| 90 | Goal | Lionel Messi (Miami) | 4–2 |
This remarkable comeback highlights Messi’s influence and Inter Miami’s resilience, signalling a promising start to their MLS campaign.