Messi's 100th appearance 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 at home to Orlando City on May 2, 2026.
• Martín Ojeda scored a hat trick for Orlando City, the first of his MLS career.
• Tyrese Spicer scored the winning goal in the 93rd minute, three minutes into stoppage time.
• Inter Miami fell to 0-1-3 at Nu Stadium and remain winless at their new venue.
• Lionel Messi recorded a goal and two assists in his 100th appearance for the club.
• Inter Miami's 11-match unbeaten streak across all competitions ended.
• Orlando City earned only its third win of the season, moving to 3-7-1.
• Inter Miami dropped from second to third in the Eastern Conference with a 5-2-4 record.

A first-half masterclass undone

For 33 minutes, Inter Miami looked unstoppable. Ian Fray opened the scoring in the fourth minute with a header from a corner, his first goal of the season. Telasco Segovia doubled the lead in the 25th minute after a combination between Luis Suárez and Lionel Messi, and Messi added a third with a long-range strike just before the half-hour mark. The Herons were 3-0 up and seemingly cruising to their first win at Nu Stadium. Messi, making his 100th appearance for the club across all competitions, had a goal and two assists in the first half alone. It was a vintage performance from the Argentine, who had failed to register a goal or assist in his previous two matches. But the lead would not hold.

Ojeda ignites Orlando's revival

Orlando City pulled one back before halftime through Martín Ojeda, who spun past a defender and unleashed a shot past Dayne St. Clair in the 39th minute. The goal gave the visitors hope, and they emerged for the second half with renewed purpose. Ojeda took control of the match, scoring twice more to complete his hat trick. His second goal came from a counterattack, and he leveled the score at 3-3 with a penalty after Maxi Falcón conceded a spot kick. The Argentine midfielder's performance was the catalyst for Orlando's historic comeback.

Spicer's stoppage-time winner seals the comeback

With the match tied at 3-3 and eight minutes of added time signaled, both teams pushed for a winner. In the 93rd minute, Tyrese Spicer got behind Inter Miami's defense and slotted home the decisive goal. The Miami crowd erupted in boos, directed at the referees after a possible foul in the box was not called on Orlando City in the final minutes. Inter Miami players walked off the field in disbelief. "That's the toughest thing. We still haven't won here yet," right back Ian Fray said. "This was supposed to be the game, up 3-0, that we have to close out. And we missed a huge opportunity."

A historic collapse and a rare feat

Inter Miami became just the third team in MLS history to lose after leading by three goals. The other two instances were Seattle's 4-3 win over D.C. United in 2017 and LA Galaxy's 4-3 victory over LAFC in 2018. MLS's website declared it the "Greatest comeback in MLS HISTORY?" For Orlando City, the win was only their third of the season. They entered the match near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings, with a 2-7-1 record. The victory lifted them to 13th place, but they remain well below the playoff line.

Hoyos defends his players amid defensive woes

Inter Miami interim coach Guillermo Hoyos, who took over after Javier Mascherano's sudden departure less than three weeks ago, refused to blame his players. "I love my players," he 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." However, the defensive performance was catastrophic. Center backs Micael and Maxi Falcón were repeatedly exposed. Falcón lost all three of his duels, had no defensive actions, was dribbled past three times, and conceded the penalty that led to the equalizer. Micael pushed too high up the pitch and failed to complete passes. Left back Noah Allen admitted he felt "broken" after the loss, comparing it to a breakup.

Messi's message and the road ahead

After the match, Messi addressed the locker room, calling the outcome "unacceptable,"."We all agree with him," Fray said. "It is unacceptable." Inter Miami's next home game is on May 17 against Portland. The Herons have yet to win at Nu Stadium, with three draws and a loss in four matches. They fell from second to third in the Eastern Conference, with a 5-2-4 record. For Orlando City, the victory provides a rare bright spot in a difficult season, but they remain in 13th place with a 3-7-1 record.

A night of contrasting fortunes

The match was also notable for the performances of the two goalkeepers. Inter Miami's Dayne St. Clair made five saves, including a late breakaway stop with his face, but allowed four goals. Orlando's Maxime Crépeau had a seven-save performance, including a mesmerizing four-save sequence that kept his team in the game. For Inter Miami, the loss was a devastating blow to a season that had started promisingly. For Orlando City, it was a moment of redemption and a reminder of the unpredictability of soccer. As the home crowd filed out of Nu Stadium, the question lingered: can Inter Miami recover from this historic collapse?

The bottom line

• Inter Miami blew a 3-0 halftime lead at home, losing 4-3 to Orlando City in one of the biggest comebacks in MLS history.
• Lionel Messi had a goal and two assists in his 100th club appearance, but it was not enough to prevent the defeat.
• Martín Ojeda's hat trick and Tyrese Spicer's stoppage-time winner powered Orlando City to only its third win of the season.
• Inter Miami remains winless at Nu Stadium (0-1-3) and dropped to third in the Eastern Conference.
• The loss ended Inter Miami's 11-match unbeaten run across all competitions and exposed defensive frailties that interim coach Guillermo Hoyos must address.
• Messi called the result 'unacceptable' in the locker room, and the team faces a critical home match against Portland on May 17.