Messi Powers Miami Comeback Victory
Lionel Messi scored twice to lead Inter Miami to a dramatic 3-2 comeback win over Orlando City in the Florida Derby. Miami had fallen behind early but rallied for the victory, with Messi's goals proving decisive in the high-stakes rivalry match. The result strengthens Inter Miami's position in MLS and reaffirms Messi's impact as the club's marquee player.
The comeback was sparked by a halftime substitution. Head coach Javier Mascherano brought on 20-year-old forward Mateo Silvetti, who scored his first career goal just four minutes into the second half to cut Orlando's lead. Telasco Segovia and Facundo Mura were credited with the assists on Silvetti's goal. Venezuelan midfielder Telasco Segovia was a key figure in the turnaround, providing the assist for Messi's first goal in the 57th minute to level the score at 2-2. Segovia then scored the go-ahead goal himself in the 85th minute, giving Miami a 3-2 lead before Messi sealed the victory. The victory was a historic one for Inter Miami, marking their first-ever win at Orlando City's Inter&Co Stadium. Prior to this match, Inter Miami had not won in nine previous visits to Orlando. The win moved Inter Miami up to seventh place in the Eastern Conference standings. Orlando had initially taken a commanding 2-0 lead in the first half. Marco Pašalić scored in the 18th minute, assisted by Iván Angulo, and Martín Ojeda doubled the lead six minutes later with an assist from Griffin Dorsey. Pašalić has now scored in four consecutive matches against Inter Miami. The match grew increasingly contentious in the second half, with Orlando City receiving five yellow cards. The situation worsened for the home side when 19-year-old rookie Colin Guske was sent off in the 88th minute after receiving his second yellow card. Messi's second goal of the night, a free kick in the 90th minute, was the final goal of the match, bringing the score to 4-2. These were his first two goals of the 2026 MLS season. With this result, Inter Miami's record stands at 1-1-0, while Orlando City remains winless at 0-2-0. Inter Miami will look to build on this momentum when they travel to face D.C. United on Saturday.
