Messi, Miami Blow 3

Orlando City made an impressive comeback from being three goals down to defeat the home side, Inter Miami, with a final score of 4-3 on Saturday, as Lionel Messi and his team continued to seek their first win at their new stadium.

Messi contributed a goal and an assist while Miami surged to a 3-0 advantage just 33 minutes into the game, seemingly on track for their first win at Nu Stadium after failing to secure victory in their initial three matches there.

However, Orlando City turned the game around dramatically, with Martín Ojeda completing a hat trick, followed by Tyrese Spicer scoring the decisive goal in stoppage time, leaving the home fans in shock.

This marked only the third instance in MLS history where a team came back from a 3-0 deficit to win. The Seattle Sounders achieved this feat against D.C. United in 2017, followed by the LA Galaxy overtaking LAFC the next year.

“We just fell apart, and that can’t happen again,” remarked Miami defender Ian Fray, who netted Miami’s first goal.

Prior to this match, Miami had drawn their last three home games since the opening of their much-anticipated new stadium on April 4. Only two teams in MLS history have faced a longer winless stretch in a new stadium.

This defeat also ended Miami’s impressive 11-match unbeaten streak across all competitions, marking their first loss since the beginning of the season back in February.

Messi scored his 86th goal in a Miami jersey during his 100th appearance, breaking a rare two-match scoreless streak.

He also assisted Telasco Segovia‘s goal, which followed Fray’s opening strike in the fourth minute.

Orlando City had previously struggled, winning only two of their last 15 MLS contests, including playoffs since last season, and began this season 0-4-1 in road matches.

Despite their earlier struggles, none of that impacted their resolve. Ojeda netted his first goal in the 39th minute, narrowing Miami’s lead to 3-1 at halftime.

He scored again in the 68th minute and had an opportunity to equalize in the 73rd minute, but Miami’s goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair made a crucial save to keep it at 3-2.

Ojeda successfully converted a penalty kick in the 78th minute, leveling the score at 3-3. He nearly put his team ahead a second time in the 80th minute, but another save from St. Clair kept Miami in the game.

Eventually, Spicer secured the winning goal for Orlando, while Messi and the Inter Miami team continued to express their frustrations over what they perceived to be missed officiating calls, all as time ran out.

“I believe this referee might have something against certain players on the team; it’s simply that,” Fray remarked.

“Regardless of the officiating, we should never have lost a game after leading 3-0.”

Inter Miami has four matches remaining before MLS breaks for the FIFA World Cup. Their next opponents — Toronto, Cincinnati, Portland, and Philadelphia — are all under .500 as of Saturday.

This report was prepared with contributions from the Associated Press.