February 23, (THEWILL) – Inter Miami earned a dramatic late draw against New York City FC in their Major League Soccer season opener, with Lionel Messi providing two crucial assists in the 2-2 result at Chase Stadium. The match was marked by brilliance and controversy, culminating in a last-minute equaliser.
The home side established an early advantage when Tomás Avilés found the net in the fifth minute, following precise linkup play between Sergio Busquets and Messi. However, the situation shifted dramatically when Avilés received a red card in the 23rd minute for a challenge near the penalty area, leaving Miami with 10 players for most of the match.
NYCFC capitalised on their numerical advantage, with Mitja Ilenič scoring the equaliser in the 26th minute through a well-executed free-kick routine. The Slovenian defender marked his goal with Cristiano Ronaldo’s signature celebration in an apparent dig at Messi, creating additional tension in an already intense match. The visitors then took the lead through Alonso Martínez in the 56th minute, appearing to place victory within their grasp.
The match intensity increased over the antics of Miami’s new head coach Javier Mascherano, who exhibited visible frustration with referee Alexis Da Silva’s decisions throughout the evening. The Argentine manager witnessed his team persist until the final moments, when Messi created space before delivering a precise pass to Telasco Segovia, who converted from close range in the tenth minute of injury time.
Miami must now maintain their focus on multiple competitions, with a Concacaf Champions Cup fixture against Sporting Kansas City scheduled for Tuesday, followed by an away match versus Houston Dynamo the subsequent weekend.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
