Messi and Inter Miami Suffer First Loss of Season to LAFC

• Apr 03, 2025

Inter Miami's Lionel Messi and his teammates faced their first defeat of the season on Wednesday, losing 1-0 to Los Angeles FC (LAFC) in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup quarter-finals. A second-half goal from Nathan Ordaz gave LAFC the advantage, leaving Messi and Miami with work to do in the return leg next week.

The match, held at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, started with both teams playing cautiously. The first half saw few chances for either side, but LAFC ramped up their intensity after the break. Just minutes into the second half, Ryan Hollingshead had a great opportunity but shot wide after a promising run into the penalty area.

In the 57th minute, LAFC finally broke the deadlock. Ordaz, a 21-year-old forward from Los Angeles, received a pass, spun past Miami’s Sergio Busquets, and fired a low shot into the corner of the net, beating Miami goalkeeper Oscar Ustari.

Messi, who was starting his first match since recovering from an injury, struggled to make an impact on the game. The 22,000 fans in the stands—including NBA star Stephen Curry, Miami owner David Beckham, and Argentina's national team coach Lionel Scaloni—were treated to a dominant performance from LAFC. After the goal, Aaron Long nearly doubled the lead, heading just over the bar, and Timothy Tillman’s shot was blocked off the line by Miami’s Maxi Falcon.

Miami's attack was ineffective in the second half, with one of their few chances coming from Falcon, whose header was comfortably saved by LAFC goalkeeper Hugo Lloris. Messi's frustration grew, culminating in a poorly executed free-kick in stoppage time that flew well over the bar, sealing the loss for Miami.

Despite the setback, Miami's coach Javier Mascherano remained optimistic, stating that it was only the first leg and that his team had the chance to turn things around in Florida. With the return leg next week, Messi and Miami will need to regroup if they are to keep their hopes alive in the competition.