Orlando City watches 2-0 halftime lead evaporate against Florida Derby rival
Marco Pasalic scores first goal against Inter Miami, but the good vibes didn't linger for Orlando City. (Photo/Mario Casamalhuapa)
Orlando City SC learned a painful lesson about finishing the job Sunday night at Inter&Co Stadium, watching a comfortable two-goal lead dissolve into a 4-2 defeat at the hands of Lionel Messi and Inter Miami CF in a wild, six-goal Florida Derby that left the Lions at 0-2 in the young 2026 MLS season and searching for answers — and a first victory.
Oddly enough, it started great. Marco Pasalic opened the scoring for Orlando in the 18th minute, tucking a left-footed finish into the bottom right corner off an Iván Angulo assist that sliced through Miami's back line. Six minutes later, Martín Ojeda doubled the advantage with another composed left-footed strike from the center of the box, this time set up by Griffin Dorsey. At 2-0, the Lions looked every bit the side capable of claiming their first points of the season in front of the home faithful.
]The second half told an entirely different story. Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano introduced teenager Mateo Silvetti at the break, and the substitute needed just four minutes to pull one back with a right-footed drive from outside the box in the 49th minute. Messi then leveled matters in the 57th, curling a trademark left-footed effort from distance into the bottom right corner after Telasco Segovia's assist. The comeback was on, and Orlando's grip on the match had vanished.
The Lions refused to go quietly. David Brekalo rattled the left post with a header in the 61st minute, and both Brekalo and Ojeda forced saves from Inter Miami goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair in the second half. Orlando's own keeper, Maxime Crépeau, made four saves, including first-half stops on Rodrigo De Paul and Tadeo Allende that kept the home side in front at the break.
But the tide turned decisively when Segovia completed the comeback in the 85th minute after Germán Berterame drove to the end line and delivered a cross to Messi, who laid it off for Segovia to finish. Three minutes later, Colin Guske collected a second yellow card in the 88th minute, reducing Orlando to 10 men. Messi made the Lions pay almost immediately, curling a free kick into the bottom left corner two minutes into stoppage time to seal the 4-2 result and cap a brace on the night. It was the 70th free-kick goal of Messi's storied career.
Inter Miami dominated possession and shots (15-10), holding an 8-5 advantage in shots on target. Mascherano said he took responsibility for the slow start after the match, saying the halftime substitution was necessary because of his own planning errors.
The winless Lions must regroup quickly, as they travel to face New York City FC on Saturday, desperate to find the defensive resolve that abandoned them in the second half Sunday. For Inter Miami, it marked its first-ever victory in Orlando, coming with momentum it carries to face D.C. United also on Saturday.
