Inter Miami kicked off their new Major League Soccer (MLS) season with a 2-2 draw against New York City FC on Saturday.
Despite a strong start, Miami played most of the match with 10 men after defender Tomás Avilés received a red card.
Lionel Messi was the star of the night, providing two assists, including a dramatic equalizer in the 10th minute of stoppage time. The game also marked the MLS debut of new head coach Javier Mascherano, who took over from Gerardo Martino.
Strong Start Turns Sour
Miami got off to a perfect start, scoring in the fifth minute when Messi set up Avilés for the opening goal. However, the momentum shifted when Avilés was sent off in the 23rd minute for a foul on Alonso Martínez. New York City quickly took advantage, with Mitja Ilenič scoring from a free kick.
Adding to Miami’s troubles, new signing Fafa Picault left the field injured early in the game. The defense, featuring a makeshift pairing of Noah Allen and Ian Fray, struggled to hold back the pressure from New York.
New York Takes the Lead, Messi Saves the Day
In the 55th minute, former Barcelona star Jordi Alba made a costly mistake, passing the ball straight to New York’s Alonso Martínez, who easily scored.
Messi, frustrated by a lack of service, kept pushing forward. He saw one of his free kicks saved and set up Federico Redondo, who missed a clear chance. But in stoppage time, Messi delivered a perfect pass to Telasco Segovia, who chipped the ball over New York’s goalkeeper Matt Freese to secure a draw.
“He’s the heart of this team,” Mascherano said of Messi. “His impact goes beyond scoring; he leads and inspires.”
-
Other MLS Highlights
-
Atlanta United: Emmanuel Latte Lath scored twice on his debut in a 3-2 win over Montreal, while Edwin Mosquera netted the winner.
- Philadelphia Union: Under new coach Bradley Carnell, the team shocked Orlando City with a 4-2 victory. Israeli forward Tai Baribo scored twice.
- FC Cincinnati: Togo’s Kevin Denkey, a $16 million signing, scored the only goal in their 1-0 win over the New York Red Bulls.
- Columbus Crew: Uruguayan Diego Rossi netted twice to lead his team to a 4-2 win over Chicago Fire, spoiling Gregg Berhalter’s debut as coach.
Defending champions Los Angeles Galaxy will begin their season on Sunday against San Diego FC.
