Inter Miami staged a thrilling late comeback to secure a 3-3 draw against Eastern Conference leaders Philadelphia Union on Saturday night, with Lionel Messi and Telasco Segovia playing crucial roles in a dramatic finish at Subaru Park.
Despite falling 3-1 behind, Miami clawed their way back into the match, with Messi delivering a trademark free-kick in the 87th minute and Segovia hammering home a last-gasp equalizer in the fifth minute of stoppage time to silence the home crowd.
The Union looked firmly in control for most of the match. Quinn Sullivan opened the scoring in the 7th minute after Miami failed to close him down, blasting a powerful strike into the net. Israeli striker Tai Baribo doubled the lead just before halftime with a sharp finish, capitalizing on more defensive lapses from the visitors.
Tadeo Allende gave Inter Miami a lifeline in the 60th minute, heading in a cross from Noah Allen to make it 2-1. But the Union quickly responded. A long throw-in caused chaos in the Miami box, and after a scramble, Baribo struck again to restore their two-goal cushion.
With time running out, Lionel Messi stepped up and curled a precise free-kick past Union goalkeeper Andrew Rick for his sixth goal of the MLS season, reigniting Miami’s hopes. The momentum swung firmly in the visitors’ favor as Philadelphia began to waver.
In stoppage time, after a near-miss from Jovan Lukic that struck the bar, Messi once again played provider. The Argentine wizard created space with clever footwork before setting up substitute Segovia, who fired a low drive into the net to cap a spirited fightback.
Philadelphia nearly stole the win at the death, but Jean-Jacques Danley, unmarked in the box, failed to convert a golden opportunity, heading wide.
While the draw was a boost for Inter Miami’s morale, their defensive struggles continue, with 23 goals conceded in their last eight matches. They currently sit sixth in the Eastern Conference standings.
Miami head coach Javier Mascherano praised his players for their resilience but admitted the team must address its vulnerabilities at the back.
“We showed character and personality tonight,” Mascherano said. “It was another tough start, but the players fought hard. We’re not where we want to be, but there’s belief we can turn things around. Still, we must be sharper defensively—conceding from corners and throw-ins is unacceptable.”
Elsewhere in MLS action, Pep Biel’s 75th-minute strike handed Charlotte a 3-2 win over Columbus Crew, while Hirving “Chucky” Lozano scored in stoppage time to lift San Diego to a 2-1 win over reigning champions LA Galaxy, who are still without a win this season.
Former France international Olivier Giroud netted a 77th-minute equalizer to earn LAFC a 2-2 draw with Montreal. In other matches, Duncan McGuire’s goal gave Orlando a narrow 1-0 victory over Portland, and Max Urruti’s late strike salvaged a 3-3 draw for New England Revolution at Sporting Kansas City.
Saturday’s results underscored the competitive nature of the MLS season as teams continue to jostle for position heading into the summer stretch.
