Messi's 100th game ends in historic collapse as Orlando City rallies from 3-0 down to stun Inter Miami 4-3

Key facts

• Inter Miami led 3-0 after 33 minutes but lost 4-3 to Orlando City on May 2, 2026.
• Martin Ojeda scored a hat trick (39', 68', 79' penalty) for Orlando City.
• Tyrese Spicer scored the winning goal in the 93rd minute.
• Lionel Messi had a goal and two assists in his 100th appearance for Inter Miami.
• Inter Miami remain winless at Nu Stadium (0-1-3) after three draws and this loss.
• Orlando City entered the match in 13th place in the Eastern Conference with only two wins.
• Inter Miami fell from second to third in the Eastern Conference standings.
• Only two other MLS teams have rallied from a 3-0 deficit to win: Seattle (2017) and LA Galaxy (2018).

A night of history, for the wrong reasons

Lionel Messi marked his 100th appearance for Inter Miami with a goal and two assists, yet the reigning MLS champions suffered one of the most humiliating defeats in league history on Saturday night. Orlando City, a team near the bottom of the standings, scored four unanswered goals to snatch a 4-3 victory at Nu Stadium, becoming only the third side in MLS history to overcome a three-goal deficit and win. Inter Miami had not lost in 11 matches across all competitions and were unbeaten in nine MLS games. The collapse left players and coaches searching for explanations as the home crowd booed the referees and the team walked off in disbelief.

A blistering start turns to ash

Inter Miami exploded out of the gates. Ian Fray, a Coconut Creek native who has overcome four knee surgeries, opened the scoring in the fourth minute with a header. Telasco Segovia doubled the lead in the 25th minute, and Messi curled a left-footed shot from just outside the penalty area past Orlando goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau in the 33rd minute to make it 3-0. The first 33 minutes were a masterclass. Messi had already recorded a primary assist and a secondary assist, and the team looked poised to finally secure its first win at the new stadium after three consecutive draws. But the momentum shifted abruptly when Martin Ojeda pulled one back in the 39th minute with a brilliant solo strike, spinning past a defender and unleashing a shot past Dayne St. Clair.

Ojeda's hat trick and Spicer's dagger

Orlando City's onslaught continued in the second half. Ojeda struck again in the 68th minute with another shot from the edge of the box, then equalized from the penalty spot in the 79th minute, taking his season tally to seven goals in 11 matches. The comeback was complete in the third minute of second-half stoppage time when Tyrese Spicer latched onto a long ball behind the center backs and finished between St. Clair's legs. Orlando City's victory was built on direct soccer that exposed Miami's defensive frailties. Center backs Micael and Maxi Falcón had catastrophic performances: Falcón lost all three of his duels, had no defensive actions, was dribbled past three times, and conceded the penalty. Noah Allen, who had been one of the team's better performers, failed to track Spicer on the winning goal.

Messi's milestone overshadowed

Messi's 100th appearance for Inter Miami across all competitions was supposed to be a celebration. He had failed to register a goal or assist in the previous two games, but in the first half alone he produced one goal, one primary assist, and one secondary assist. Yet the second half was scoreless for Miami, and his efforts were rendered meaningless by the defensive collapse. After the match, Ian Fray revealed that Messi addressed the locker room, calling the outcome 'unacceptable.' 'We all agree with him,' Fray said. 'It is unacceptable.' Interim coach Guillermo Hoyos, who took over after Javier Mascherano's sudden departure less than three weeks ago, defended his players and closed his postgame press conference after a seven-minute answer, saying, 'I love my players. 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.'

Historical context and standings implications

The loss was only Inter Miami's second of the season, dropping them from second to third place in the Eastern Conference with five wins, two losses, and four ties. They remain winless at Nu Stadium with a record of 0-1-3. Orlando City, despite the victory, remain near the bottom in 13th place with three wins, seven losses, and one tie. the only other teams to rally from a 3-0 deficit and win were Seattle beating D.C. United 4-3 in 2017 and LA Galaxy beating LAFC 4-3 in 2018. The league's website ran the headline: 'Greatest comeback in MLS HISTORY?'

Goalkeeping heroics and a controversial no-call

Despite the scoreline, both goalkeepers had memorable nights. Dayne St. Clair made five stops for Miami, including a breakaway save with his face that temporarily preserved the lead. Maxime Crépeau made seven saves for Orlando, including a mesmerizing four-save sequence. The match ended in controversy as the Miami crowd booed the referees after a possible foul in the box was not called on Orlando City in the final minutes. Ian Fray, who was visibly frustrated, said: 'I don't know how the fines work, so I don't want to get fined. But 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.'

What comes next for Inter Miami

Inter Miami's next home match at Nu Stadium is on May 17 against Portland. The team must regroup quickly after a defeat that left players emotionally shattered. 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. It's a horrible feeling. We have to talk, we have to regroup.' The loss raises questions about the team's defensive structure and Hoyos's tactical decisions, particularly the shift to a four-man backline. With the talent of Messi and a roster that includes Rodrigo De Paul, who is under pressure to make Argentina's World Cup roster, the margin for error is thin. For Orlando City, the victory provides a spark in an otherwise disappointing season, but they remain in 13th place with work to do.

The bottom line

• Inter Miami blew a 3-0 lead at home, losing 4-3 to Orlando City, becoming only the third MLS team to lose after leading by three goals.
• Martin Ojeda scored a hat trick, and Tyrese Spicer netted the winner in stoppage time for Orlando City.
• Lionel Messi had a goal and two assists in his 100th appearance, but it was not enough to prevent the collapse.
• Inter Miami remain winless at Nu Stadium (0-1-3) and fell to third in the Eastern Conference.
• Defensive errors by center backs Micael and Maxi Falcón were central to the defeat, with Falcón conceding a penalty and being dribbled past three times.
• Inter Miami's next home game is May 17 against Portland; the team must address defensive vulnerabilities quickly.