The 2025 MLS season opened with a bang as Inter Miami CF and New York City FC battled to a thrilling 2-2 draw at Chase Stadium. Fans were on the edge of their seats as both teams showcased flair and resilience, with Lionel Messi at the heart of Miami's efforts. The Argentine legend demonstrated once again why he's considered one of the all-time greats, dazzling spectators with two crucial assists that kept Miami in the game.
The drama began early when Tomás Avilés connected with one of Messi's brilliant setups, firing Miami into the lead just five minutes into the match. However, the joy was short-lived as Avilés found himself in hot water, receiving a straight red card for a challenge on Alonso Martínez in the 23rd minute. This left Miami to grapple with the challenge of playing a man down for the majority of the match.
New York City FC, sensing an opportunity, quickly took control. They retaliated just minutes after Avilés' dismissal, with Mitja Ilenič leveling the score in the 26th minute. His deft finish was orchestrated by a clever free-kick from the experienced Maxi Moralez, whose vision and creativity seemed to rejuvenate NYCFC.
The match reached a tense juncture, with NYCFC capitalizing again in the 55th minute. This time it was Alonso Martínez who pounced on an error by Jordi Alba, putting NYCFC ahead and seemingly setting the stage for their win. Miami, however, refused to buckle under pressure.
Despite being down to 10 men, Miami demonstrated incredible tenacity. The relentless energy kept NYCFC on their toes and, as the clock ticked into stoppage time, Telasco Segovia delivered the dramatic equalizer. Again, it was Messi who orchestrated the moment, threading the needle with a pass that Segovia turned into a goal, capping off an exhilarating 100-minute contest.
The thrilling draw highlighted both Inter Miami's resilience and Messi’s undoubted influence, proving that even a man down, Miami can still march forward and make their mark. For fans, the match was a reminder of Messi's magic on the field, setting the tone for what promises to be an exciting MLS season ahead.
14 Comments
Derrek Wortham
February 23, 2025 AT 21:35 PMThat Messi assist to Segovia was pure cinema. No one else in the world could thread a pass like that with 10 men and 2 minutes left. Absolute sorcery.
Derek Pholms
February 25, 2025 AT 13:16 PMYou know what’s funny? People act like Messi’s the only reason this match wasn’t a disaster. But let’s be real - the entire team played like they were on a mission to prove they weren’t just his backup dancers. Even the guy who got sent off, Avilés - he didn’t just lose his cool, he lost his discipline. And yet, the team kept going. That’s not magic. That’s culture.
musa dogan
February 25, 2025 AT 17:06 PMLet me be blunt: this was not a football match. It was a Shakespearean tragedy with a midfield maestro as the tragic hero. The red card? A dagger to the heart. The equalizer? The final soliloquy. And Messi? He didn’t just play - he *performed*. The crowd didn’t cheer, they wept. I’ve seen ballets with less emotional gravity.
Mark Dodak
February 25, 2025 AT 23:47 PMI’ve watched a lot of MLS games, but this one felt different. It wasn’t just about the result - it was about how the team responded. Playing a man down for 70 minutes and still finding a way to equalize? That’s not luck. That’s preparation. That’s coaching. That’s players who believe in each other. And yeah, Messi was incredible, but he didn’t do it alone. Segovia’s run, the pressure they kept up, the way they didn’t panic - that’s the real story here.
Stephanie Reed
February 26, 2025 AT 16:44 PMI was literally holding my breath during that last play. I don’t even know how I didn’t drop my coffee. Messi just looked up, took one touch, and it was like time slowed down. The way Segovia finished it? Chef’s kiss. This is why I love soccer.
Jason Lo
February 28, 2025 AT 00:07 AMLet’s cut the nonsense. Messi is 37. He’s not ‘magic’. He’s a veteran who gets paid millions to look good while others do the heavy lifting. The red card was a disaster, and the team shouldn’t have even been in that position. This draw? It’s a moral victory for a team that’s built on hype, not structure. And the refs? They let NYCFC get away with murder all night.
Brian Gallagher
February 28, 2025 AT 01:48 AMFrom a tactical standpoint, the transition from 11v11 to 10v11 was handled with remarkable spatial discipline. Miami’s midfield trio collapsed into a 4-3-2-1 compact block post-red card, effectively neutralizing NYCFC’s width. The counter-pressing triggers were executed with precision, particularly during the 55th to 75th minute window. Messi’s second assist was a textbook example of a half-space diagonal penetration under duress - a high-risk, high-reward maneuver that only elite decision-makers can execute consistently at this level.
Elizabeth Alfonso Prieto
February 28, 2025 AT 06:20 AMI swear to god if someone says Messi is still the best I’m gonna scream. He’s 37. He’s not even running anymore. He just stands there and waits for people to pass to him. And the team lets him. That’s not football, that’s a god complex. And the ref letting that tackle go unpunished? Total joke. I’m done.
Harry Adams
February 28, 2025 AT 17:16 PMThe MLS is a glorified summer league. This ‘drama’ is manufactured. Messi’s assists? Cute. But this isn’t La Liga. It’s not even the Championship. It’s a marketing stunt with better grass. I’ve seen better football in the Norwegian Third Division.
Kieran Scott
March 2, 2025 AT 02:33 AMLet’s be honest - this match was a spectacle of inefficiency. Two goals from assists? That’s not brilliance, that’s poor defensive organization. NYCFC’s midfield was all over the place. The red card? A gift. And Messi’s ‘magic’? He’s not creating chances - he’s just being the last passer in a system that’s designed to feed him. This isn’t football innovation. It’s nostalgia porn with a price tag.
Joshua Gucilatar
March 2, 2025 AT 18:34 PMCorrection: It wasn’t Messi who ‘threaded the needle’ - it was a perfectly timed through ball delivered at 28 degrees of angle with 0.7 seconds of decision time, executed from a 14-meter distance while under pressure from two defenders. The pass had a spin rate of 12.3 revolutions per second, generating a slight Magnus effect that caused the ball to curve just enough to evade the sliding tackle. Segovia’s run was timed to a millisecond - 3.1 seconds after the ball left Messi’s foot. This wasn’t luck. This was biomechanical perfection.
jesse pinlac
March 4, 2025 AT 15:32 PMThis is what happens when you let celebrities dictate the sport. Messi’s presence is the only reason this match was televised. The rest of the squad? Mediocre. The tactics? Amateurish. The league? A circus. This draw isn’t a triumph - it’s a symptom of MLS’s fundamental lack of credibility.
Jess Bryan
March 5, 2025 AT 12:05 PMYou think this was real? Think again. The red card was staged. The equalizer? CGI. They’ve been filming this for weeks. Messi doesn’t even play in MLS - he’s in a studio somewhere with motion capture suits. The whole thing’s a corporate product. You’re being played. Check the broadcast feed timestamps - they’re all synced to the same server in Miami. They’re not even broadcasting live.
Ronda Onstad
March 7, 2025 AT 06:41 AMI just want to say how proud I am of this team. They were down, they were tired, they were outnumbered - and still, they kept fighting. That’s the kind of spirit that builds real fans. It’s not about the name on the back of the jersey. It’s about showing up when it matters. That last goal? That’s what soccer’s supposed to feel like. Pure joy. No stats, no drama - just a group of guys who refused to quit. That’s worth more than any trophy.