Lionel Messi’s first two goals of the 2026 Major League Soccer (MLS) season powered Inter Miami CF to a stunning 4-2 comeback victory over Orlando City SC on Sunday night, ending a long-standing hoodoo by winning at Inter and Co Stadium for the first time in the club’s history.
Defending champions Inter Miami trailed 2-0 at the break before producing a four-goal second half that left Orlando stunned at their own ground. The Lions had controlled the opening period, with Marco Pašalić opening the scoring in the 18th minute after intercepting a misplaced pass from Rodrigo De Paul, before Martín Ojeda doubled the lead with a sharp finish six minutes later.
Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano responded at the break by withdrawing defender Noah Allen and introducing Mateo Silvetti, and the gamble paid off almost immediately. Silvetti struck from the edge of the box in the 49th minute to pull one back and change the mood entirely.
Messi then capped a flowing move in the 57th minute, curling a left-footed shot into the far corner after Segovia played him in, before Segovia completed the comeback with a composed finish in the 85th minute. Messi sealed the result in the 90th minute with a dazzling free kick from around 30 yards, bending the ball around the wall and into the bottom corner past a helpless Maxime Crépeau.
The brace takes Messi’s MLS regular-season tally to 52 goals in 55 appearances, with 51 of those coming in his last 49 matches.
Mascherano was effusive in his praise after the final whistle. “The victory belongs exclusively to the players,” he said. “In the second half, they were a championship team. There were no tactics, nothing like that. There was heart, courage, possession, resilience, commitment.”
Orlando head coach Óscar Pareja was blunt in his assessment. “We’re aiming for consistency, but we’re not having any consistency,” he said, with his side now sitting bottom of the Eastern Conference after two matches without a win.
Inter Miami travel to Washington D.C. to face D.C. United next weekend, with the club also scheduled to visit the White House on Thursday, March 5.
