Messi magic struck again as Lionel Messi netted his 901st career goal, but this night was far from one sided.

The energy inside the stadium was electric from the start. It was hard to tell who the home team was as Inter Miami brought a wave of support with them. Chants of Messi echoed throughout the arena, ringing from one end to the other. Every touch, every movement, every moment he was on the ball drew a reaction from the crowd.

Many teams crumble under the weight of Lionel Messi and the energy he brings, but not New York City FC.

NYCFC came ready to match the moment. After falling behind early, the Boys in Blue didn’t stay down. With a well taken free kick by Nicolás Fernández, NYCFC made it clear they weren’t there to lay down, silencing parts of the Messi faithful. The confidence carried into the second half, where NYCFC worked the ball beautifully through the final third, finishing off a composed team goal to take the lead.

But when Messi is on the pitch, the game is never over.

Inter Miami continued to push forward, feeding off the energy that followed their star. Then came the moment the crowd had been waiting for. Messi found his space and delivered, scoring his 901st career goal and sending the stadium into a frenzy. The noise was deafening, a reminder of the impact he carries every time he steps on the field.

Despite the moment, NYCFC never backed down. They stayed composed, continued to battle, and matched Miami’s intensity from start to finish in a high energy clash that felt bigger than just another match on the schedule.

In a night filled with star power, noise, and nonstop energy, NYCFC’s unbeaten record fell as Inter Miami handed them their first loss of the 2026 season.

Key Stats:

3′ – MIA: Gonzalo Luján (0-1)

17′ – NYC: Nicolás Fernández Mercau (1-1)

59′ – NYC: Agustín Ojeda (2-1)

61′ – MIA: Lionel Messi (2-2)

74′ – MIA: Micael (2-3)