Orlando City stuns Inter Miami 4-3 after trailing 3-0, completing one of MLS's greatest comebacks

Key facts

• Orlando City rallied from a 3-0 deficit to win 4-3, becoming the third team in MLS history to do so.
• Martín Ojeda scored three goals, including a penalty to level the match at 3-3.
• Tyrese Spicer scored the winner in the 93rd minute.
• Lionel Messi recorded one goal and two assists in his 100th appearance for Inter Miami.
• Inter Miami fell to 0-1-3 at Nu Stadium and are one of three MLS teams winless at home this season.
• Orlando City moved to 3-7-1, still near the bottom of the Eastern Conference in 13th place.
• Inter Miami's 11-match unbeaten run across all competitions ended.
• The match was played on May 2, 2026, at Nu Stadium in Miami.

A night of historic collapse

Inter Miami appeared destined for its first victory at Nu Stadium, holding a 3-0 lead over rival Orlando City just over 30 minutes into the match. Lionel Messi, celebrating his 100th appearance for the club, had already contributed a goal and two assists, and the defending champions seemed in full control. But Orlando City produced a stunning reversal, scoring four unanswered goals — including a 93rd-minute winner by Tyrese Spicer — to secure a 4-3 victory. The comeback is only the third in MLS history where a team won after trailing by three goals, joining Seattle's 4-3 win over D.C. United in 2017 and LA Galaxy's 4-3 win over LAFC in 2018.

Messi's brilliance not enough

Lionel Messi opened the scoring in the first half with a long-range strike, part of a dominant first-half display that also included an assist on Telasco Segovia's goal and a secondary assist on Ian Fray's opener. Despite his efforts, Inter Miami failed to score in the second half, and Messi's performance was overshadowed by the collapse. After the match, Messi addressed the team in the locker room, calling the outcome "unacceptable,"."We all agree with him," Fray said. "It is unacceptable."

Ojeda's hat trick leads Orlando's revival

Martín Ojeda, the Argentine attacking midfielder, was the catalyst for Orlando's comeback. He scored a hat trick, with two left-footed goals and a penalty to level the match at 3-3. Ojeda, who also played the full 90 minutes in a midweek US Open Cup win over New England, has now scored seven goals this season. "The way we came out in the first half, it wasn't us," Ojeda said after the game. "In the second half, we came out and showed who we can be as a team… Very proud to win a clásico away and very proud of this group." Interim head coach Martín Perelman praised Ojeda's relentless effort: "He doesn't want to leave the field, even for one second."

Inter Miami's defensive collapse and referee controversy

Inter Miami's defense unraveled in the second half, conceding four goals after dominating the first 45 minutes. Interim coach Guillermo Hoyos, who took over after Javier Mascherano's departure less than three weeks ago, defended his players fiercely in his postgame press conference, closing it early after a seven-minute answer. "I love my players," Hoyos said. "I care about my players because they are my kind, and you will not hear a word from me in a press conference that harms any player to save myself." Right back Ian Fray, who scored the opening goal, criticized the officiating, saying, "This guy, something needs to change. We've had him before and he's made really bad decisions. But that's all I'm going to say about the referee. We should have won the game anyway." The Miami crowd booed the referees after a possible foul in the box was not called on Orlando in the final minutes.

Historic context and stakes

The loss dropped Inter Miami from second to third place in the Eastern Conference with a record of five wins, two losses, and four ties. It ended an 11-match unbeaten run across all competitions and a nine-match unbeaten streak in MLS play. The team remains winless at Nu Stadium since its opening in early April, with a record of 0-1-3. For Orlando City, the victory was only their third of the season, lifting them to 3-7-1 and 13th place in the East. Despite their poor start, the team has shown attacking quality, including a 4-3 win over New England in the US Open Cup midweek. "It's reflective of the work we've been doing," Ojeda said. "The only way to push forward is to continue to work."

What comes next for both sides

Inter Miami's next home match is on May 17 against Portland, where they will again seek their first win at Nu Stadium. The team must regroup quickly after a devastating defeat that left players visibly shaken. Left back Noah Allen compared the feeling to a breakup: "I'm almost like broken. I never try to take the game too serious, at the end of the day. I want to win. But I don't know. I feel like my girlfriend just broke up with me, if I'm honest." Orlando City will look to build on this historic win as they attempt to climb the standings. The comeback could serve as a turning point for a team that has struggled but now has a signature victory over its in-state rival.

The bottom line

• Orlando City's 4-3 comeback from 3-0 down is only the third such victory in MLS history.
• Martín Ojeda's hat trick and Tyrese Spicer's stoppage-time winner sealed the win.
• Lionel Messi had a goal and two assists in his 100th Inter Miami appearance, but it wasn't enough.
• Inter Miami remains winless at Nu Stadium (0-1-3) and fell to third in the Eastern Conference.
• Orlando City, despite the win, sits 13th in the East with a 3-7-1 record.
• The loss ended Inter Miami's 11-match unbeaten run across all competitions.