Orlando City Vs Inter Miami — Messi’s two-goal comeback seals 4-2 Florida derby win
In orlando city vs inter miami, Lionel Messi scored twice as Inter Miami recovered from a 2-0 deficit to beat Orlando City 4-2 on 2 Mar, 2026, registering Miami’s first win in nine trips to Orlando and handing the reigning MLS champions a dramatic turn in their early-season form.
Early blows for Orlando — Pašalić and Ojeda set the tone
Orlando City opened the match strongly, Marco Pasalic (listed elsewhere as Marco Pašalić) converting in the 18th minute after a pass from Iván Angulo to give Orlando a 1-0 lead. Six minutes later, defender Griffin Dorsey set up Martín Ojeda for a second goal, leaving Orlando 2-0 up inside 25 minutes and the visitors facing a steep comeback task at Inter&Co Stadium.
Midfield moment and Miami’s response
Inter Miami halved the deficit early in the second half when Mateo Silvetti produced what was described as a stunning 25-yard drive just after half-time. The strike was noted as Silvetti’s first career goal; the forward was described in one account as a 20-year-old forward in his fifth career appearance and elsewhere as midfielder Mateo Silvetti. That strike made it 2-1 and set the stage for a four-goal second half.
Orlando City Vs Inter Miami: Messi takes control in the second half
Lionel Messi, the 38-year-old Argentina legend, equalised in the 57th minute with a left-footed strike from the edge of the area after taking a pass from Telasco Segovia. Messi then set up Segovia to score with five minutes remaining (the 85th minute in another account), and capped the win with a low free-kick in the 90th minute that crept past Maxime Crepeau. Messi celebrated the decisive free-kick with a signing gesture towards the touchline.
Contributions across the pitch and key player notes
Telasco Segovia was credited with a goal and two assists in one account and was credited with eight goals and six assists as a rookie last season. Facundo Mura was recorded as earning his first assist in his first season. Goalkeeping figures were also highlighted: Dayne St. Clair, the reigning goalkeeper of the year, made three second-half saves in his second start with Inter Miami but conceded what was called a soft goal for Orlando’s first; Maxime Crépeau made four saves in his second start for Orlando City. Teenager Colin Guske, 19, will miss Orlando City’s next match after picking up two yellow cards in his first start, the second of which led to his exit in the 88th minute.
Records, tallies and the broader season context
Messi’s two goals were described as his first of the Major League Soccer season and brought his career total to 898 goals for club and country. One account broke that 898 down into 672 goals for Barcelona and 115 for Argentina; another noted 79 goals in 90 appearances for Inter Miami. In MLS-specific tallies, one account said Messi has 52 goals in his first 55 regular-season MLS matches, with 51 of those coming in his past 49 appearances. The match was Miami’s first win at Inter&Co Stadium and their first in nine trips to Orlando; one source described the all-time series as 8-7-4 while another described it as 8-6-4 across 18 meetings, a discrepancy that is unclear in the provided context.
What this means next for both clubs
The result ended Inter Miami’s run of winless trips to Orlando and sent the reigning champions on the road to D. C. United for a match scheduled on Saturday at Audi Field. Orlando City will travel to face New York City FC in their next fixture. Manager Javier Mascherano praised his players’ second-half response—"The victory belongs exclusively to the players, " he said—adding that in the second half they showed heart, courage and commitment. Mascherano had guided the Herons to their maiden MLS Cup in 2025. Orlando’s head coach Oscar Pareja, who recently committed his future to the club through 2028, will look to steady his side after the Lions opened 2026 with a 2-1 home defeat to New York Red Bulls and a stalled start to the league campaign.
Additional context from the season build-up: Inter Miami began 2026 with a 3-0 loss to Los Angeles FC, an outing after which Messi was later cleared by MLS following a reviewed post-match incident. Miami also played a friendly in Puerto Rico against Independiente del Valle in which Messi converted a penalty as part of preparations. Orlando’s off-season recruitment was described as focused on adding depth after a competitive 2025 Eastern Conference campaign.
