March 1, 2026; Orlando, Florida, USA; Inter Miami CF forward Lionel Messi (10) controls the ball from Orlando City SC defender Tahir Reid Brown (29) during the first half at the Inter & Co Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Image Lionel Messi scored a brace, Telasco Ceboggia scored an 85th-minute equalizer and assisted the other two goals and Inter Miami dominated the second half to come from behind to win 4-2 against hosts Orlando City on Sunday night.
Matteo Silvetti added a goal and an assist to Inter Miami’s four second-half goals to erase a 2-0 deficit. The Herons (1-1-0, 3 points) rebounded from a 3-0 season-opening loss to LAFC.
With goals in the 57th and 90th minutes, Messi has scored eight goals in five games against the Lions in all competitions.
Marco Pasalic and Martin Ojeda scored for Orlando City (0-2-0, 0 points).
Orlando failed to clear the ball out of its territory in the tiebreaker sequence.
Miami’s German Berterame started the sequence with the ball. Sevogia eventually took it and put a right-footed shot into the net.
Three minutes later, Orlando City’s Colin Gusquet brought down Messi and received a second yellow card. An automatic upgrade to a red led to Guske’s ejection, leaving the Lions with just 10 men for the rest of the game, including 10 minutes of stoppage time.
Then, in the 90th minute of the first half, Messi took a free kick from close range and sent a left-footed shot past the wall and inside the left post, giving the Herons a two-goal lead.
Dayne St. Clair made three saves for Miami, which topped Orlando City 16-12 and made eight shots on five targets for the Lions.
Maxime Crepeau made four stops to Orlando City.
Orlando City won both regular season meetings last season by scores of 4-0 and 3-1.
Miami got up quickly after the halftime break.
Silvetti was just beyond the box when he fired a right-footed shot into the left corner of the goal in the 49th minute.
Eight minutes later, Messi scored the equalizer with a left-footed shot inside the right post.
Ojeda had a golden opportunity to turn Orlando City around in the 70th minute of the second half, but St. Clair made a save by blocking Ojeda’s close-range left-footed shot.
In the 18th minute of the first half of the first half, Orlando’s Ivan Angulo threw the ball to Pasalic, and Pasalic hit a left-footed grounder that hit St. Clair’s arm and went into the goal.
Six minutes later, the Lions made it 2-0 when Ojeda exchanged the ball with Griffin Dorsey. Ojeda received the ball again and sent a right-footed shot into the right corner.
Crepo made three saves, including Messi’s save in the 28th minute of the first half. Messi sent a free kick to the left of the goal in the second half.
–Field level media
