Messi's Epic Miami Comeback
Lionel Messi delivered a masterclass in the Florida Derby, scoring twice and assisting as Inter Miami stormed back from 2-0 down to beat Orlando City 4-2. This marked Messi's first goals of the MLS season and Miami's first-ever win at Orlando's stadium. The 38-year-old earned MLS Player of the Matchday honors with a free-kick goal and poacher's finish after Orlando jumped ahead early.
The comeback was sparked by a key halftime substitution from Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano. Twenty-year-old forward Mateo Silvetti entered the match and scored his first professional goal, a long-range strike in the 49th minute that cut Orlando's lead in half. Orlando City dominated the first half, jumping to a 2-0 lead with goals from Marco Pašalić and Martín Ojeda in the 18th and 24th minutes, respectively. Pašalić has been a consistent threat against Miami, having now scored in four consecutive matches against the club. Midfielder Telasco Segovia was instrumental in the victory, assisting on both Silvetti's and Messi's first goal before scoring the game-winner himself in the 85th minute. The comeback was completed after Orlando's Colin Guske was sent off with a red card, with Messi converting the ensuing free kick. This victory marked a crucial turnaround for the defending MLS Cup champions, who had started their 2026 season with a disappointing 3-0 loss to LAFC. Prior to this match, Inter Miami had never defeated Orlando City at their home stadium. The head-to-head record between the two Florida rivals is now evenly matched, with both Inter Miami and Orlando City having 7 wins against each other, along with 6 draws in their 20 meetings since 2020. With the win, Lionel Messi brought his career goal tally to 898. His record in MLS now stands at 52 goals in 55 regular-season appearances.
