FORT LAUDERDALE, FL — Orlando City SC's promising start unraveled in dramatic fashion as Inter Miami CF completed a 3-1 comeback victory in the Concacaf Interleague Cup semifinal at Chase Stadium, with Lionel Messi orchestrating the turnaround when it mattered most.
The Lions entered Thursday night's contest with confidence, having defeated Inter Miami twice this season—4-1 without Messi and 3-0 with the Argentine superstar in the lineup. But tournament football writes its own narrative, and this time it was Miami's story to tell.
Marco Pašalić gave Orlando City the perfect start, converting Luis Muriel's assist in the 45th minute to send the visitors into halftime with a deserved lead. The Croatian midfielder continued to showcase his value to the team with another clinical finish when it counted.
Orlando created additional opportunities that could have put the game beyond reach. Iván Angulo came agonizingly close on multiple occasions, including a 23rd-minute chance that narrowly missed the target after a swift counterattack led by Martín Ojeda. Angulo was also on the receiving end of what appeared to be a questionable foul by Sergio Busquets that went uncalled—one of several decisions that left Orlando frustrated. Those missed opportunities and contentious moments would prove costly as the match wore on.
The game's complexion changed dramatically after the hour mark. No matter how Orlando tried to contain him—doubling him, defending one-on-one—this was destined to be the Messi show, and the Argentine maestro delivered when his team needed him most. Like the sporting greats before him—Jordan demanding the ball in the fourth quarter, Gretzky controlling overtime, or Brady engineering a two-minute drill—Messi seized the moment with ruthless efficiency.
The turning point came in the 75th minute when David Brekalo received his second yellow card for bringing down Tadeo Allende in the penalty area. Already on a booking from the 18th minute, the defender's dismissal left Orlando to defend with ten men against one of football's greatest players. Messi converted the penalty with trademark composure, celebrating with visible enthusiasm as the momentum shifted irreversibly in Miami's direction.
Playing a man down, Orlando's defensive structure crumbled. Messi struck again in the 88th minute, finishing a flowing move orchestrated by Jordi Alba, his celebration growing more animated as he sensed victory. Telasco Segovia added salt to the wounds in stoppage time, sealing a 3-1 victory that sent the home crowd and Messi into raptures—the Argentine's joy unmistakable as he embraced teammates, knowing he had once again delivered on the biggest stage.
The statistics tell a familiar story of Orlando's frustration: despite generating quality chances and competing evenly for much of the match, the Lions couldn't capitalize when it mattered. Inter Miami's 58.8% possession and clinical finishing in the final thirty minutes proved decisive.
Head Coach Oscar Pareja, clearly frustrated with the officiating, chose his words carefully in the post-match conference: "There was a bunch of actions that you will see and I want to just leave it to you guys to judge and evaluate that performance. Those actions that were very precise, that changed the game and you guys know which actions."
Pareja may also question whether his substitutions came too late. The introduction of Duncan McGuire, Ramiro Enrique, and Joran Gerbet after the 80th minute—when the game had already turned—offered little opportunity to change the outcome. Earlier tactical adjustments might have helped stem Miami's tide before Brekalo's dismissal.
Orlando City will now play in the Leagues Cup 2025 Third Place Match on Sunday, Aug. 31, against either LA Galaxy at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California, or Seattle Sounders FC at Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington, pending the winner of the night's second semifinal. Meanwhile, Inter Miami advances to face the tournament's top seed in what promises to be a compelling final.
For Orlando's faithful, this loss stings particularly given their regular season dominance over Miami. But as the playoffs loom, there's still time to regroup. What was supposed to be Orlando's year has added another chapter to the Lionel Messi story instead. In tournament football, as the Lions learned painfully on this cool Fort Lauderdale evening, past victories count for nothing when the knockout rounds arrive—especially when Messi decides it's his show.
The challenge now is clear: Orlando must shake off this disappointment quickly and refocus on their MLS Cup ambitions. If there's a silver lining, it's that they've proven they can compete with anyone on their day. The question is whether they can rediscover that form when the playoffs begin.
