MIAMI (AP) — Lionel Messi and Inter Miami had a 3-0 lead over rival Orlando City, looking poised to finally get what would be a historic first win inside the team’s new stadium.
History was indeed made — by Orlando City, that is.
Martin Ojeda scored three goals, Tyrese Spicer had the go-ahead goal in the third minute of stoppage time and Orlando City stunned Inter Miami 4-3 on Saturday night — becoming just the third team in MLS history to rally from a 3-0 deficit and get a victory.
“Greatest comeback in MLS HISTORY?” read a headline on MLS’ website after the match.
Orlando would surely say so.
Messi had a goal and two assists in his 100th appearance for the club, and somehow that wasn’t enough against a team that came into the night near the bottom of the MLS standings. Inter Miami fell to 0-1-3 at its new stadium, and the defending champions are one of only three teams in MLS winless at home so far this season.
Ian Fray and Telasco Segovia also scored for Inter Miami, which was unbeaten (5-0-6) in its last 11 matches across all competitions and its last nine matches (5-0-4) in MLS play. And afterward, Fray said that Messi had words in the locker room — calling the outcome “unacceptable.”
“We all agree with him,” Fray said. “It is unacceptable.”
According to MLS, the other two matches where a team rallied from 3-0 down to win — excluding a shootout win by the MetroStars in 1996 — were Seattle beating D.C. United 4-3 in 2017 and LA Galaxy beating LAFC 4-3 in 2018.
Orlando City (3-7-1) had won only two of its last 15 MLS matches — including playoffs — dating to last season. Orlando City also was 0-4-1 on the road in MLS play this season.
None of that mattered. Ojeda scored in the 39th minute to send Orlando into the half down 3-1. He scored again in the 68th minute to make matters interesting.
Too interesting from the Inter Miami perspective.
Ojeda had a great chance to tie it in the 73rd minute, alone on the right side of the box. But Inter Miami goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair came well off his line and made a point-blank save to keep the score 3-2.
Ojeda wouldn’t be denied, connecting on a penalty kick in the 78th minute to tie things up at 3-3. He had another chance in the 80th minute, with St. Clair stopping that one with his face — yes, his face — to keep the match tied.
Spicer eventually got the go-ahead goal for the visitors, Messi and the Herons kept arguing over what they felt were missed calls, and time ran out.
Inter Miami has four matches left before MLS’ seven-week stoppage for the FIFA World Cup begins. None of those looming opponents — Toronto, Cincinnati, Portland and Philadelphia — was over the .500 mark entering Saturday.
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