Inter Miami secured a dramatic 6–4 victory over Philadelphia Union at Nu Stadium on Sunday, marking their second-ever win at the rain-soaked venue in south Florida.
First Half Fireworks
The match exploded out of the gate with Philadelphia's Milan Iloski finding the back of the net in the 4th minute, capitalizing on a defensive breakdown to put the Union ahead 1–0.
Minutes later, Miami goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair surrendered a misjudged penalty, and the Union doubled their lead to 2–0 by the 10th minute.
But the comeback was swift. Lionel Messi began charging forward, first setting up Germán Berterame for a tap-in goal—his first of two in the victory. Luis Suárez then_netten a hat-trick, highlighted by an acrobatic finish, chesting the ball off Ian Fray's cross before smashing a shot past Union goalkeeper Andre Blake.
The 4–4 first half made MLS history as the first time eight goals were scored in an opening period. The final 10 combined goals fell just short of the league record of 11 in a single game.
Messi's Injury Clouds Victory
Rodrigo De Paul scored late on a counterattack to seal the 6–4 win, but the major storyline shifted to Messi's exit in the 73rd minute.
The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner abruptly left the match with discomfort in his leg, clutching his hamstring and walking toward the locker room for medical treatment.
His availability for the 2026 World Cup—in less than 20 days—now throws doubt into his participation.
Inter Miami Player Ratings
GK: Dayne St. Clair — C-: The Canadian had troubles early but finished with seven saves, keeping Miami in the match.
RB: Ian Fray — B: Continued to take on significant minutes and was dynamic down the wing, assisting on Suárez's acrobatic finish.
CB: Gonzalo Luján — C-: Grew into defensive responsibilities but struggled to keep up with 16-year-old Cavan Sullivan and other Philadelphia attackers.
CB: Micael — F: One of his worst games in an Inter Miami kit, failing to contain Iloski and other attackers.
LB: Sergio Reguilón — D: Presence remained underwhelming with no significant contribution in an open attacking night.
RM: Rodrigo De Paul — A: Put in double-workout days with Messi ahead of the World Cup and looked fit, scoring the eventual winning goal.
CM: Yannick Bright — B: Miami's most consistent player of 2026 jumped into the attack but failed to provide real threat. However, his nine defensive contributions brought some control to the chaos.
LM: Telasco Segovia — D: A performance to forget, struggling to make attacking inroads and being beaten several times.
RW: Lionel Messi — B: Shocking to see him leave a 10-goal game without scoring, though he picked up a pair of assists before exiting with injury.
ST: Germán Berterame — B+: Still in the mix for the Mexico World Cup roster, scoring a brace.