Messi makes history with first goal at Inter Miami's new stadium.
2026 Major League Soccer
2-2
Match Report
Inter Miami had to come from behind on two occasions to earn a 2-2 draw against Austin FC on their first outing at Nu Stadium, with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez on target.
Raising the curtain on their new purpose-built home after six years playing at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Miami were behind after only six minutes as Guilherme Biro met Facundo Torres' corner with a bullet header.
Austin had already hit the post by that point, via Myrto Uzuni's free-kick, and the high-octane start continued as Messi scored his team's first goal at their new home, nodding Ian Fray's deflected cross into the roof of the net in the 10th minute.
Austin hit the post again late in the first half, with Torres' curler clipping the right-hand upright following a lovely layoff from Uzuni.
But the visitors restored their advantage early in the second half when a devastating counter-attack resulted in Uzuni finding half-time substitute Jayden Nelson, who steered his finish off the left post and in.
Austin goalkeeper Brad Stuver made a big save to deny Mateo Silvetti, but Miami were level again in the 81st minute, with substitute Suarez turning home from close range after German Berterame flicked Silvetti's corner towards the far post.
Suarez thought he had won it for the hosts late on when he reacted quickest to Messi's free-kick clattering the post, diverting the loose ball over the line, but the offside flag was raised against him.
FT at Nu Stadium pic.twitter.com/XYLB1BSWIt
— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) April 5, 2026
Data Debrief: Messi opens with a bang
Miami may have had to settle for a point, but it was still a notable occasion for the club as they made the long-awaited move into their 26,700-capacity home.
Messi was playing in front of a stand bearing his own name, and he scored Miami's first goal at the ground. He has 317 goals in 323 home league matches in his career, but he had not scored in his first game at Camp Nou with Barcelona, the Parc des Princes with Paris Saint-Germain or Chase Stadium with Miami.
Austin had lost five straight away matches in all competitions before this one, but they put up a good fight here, tallying 1.68 expected goals (xG) from only nine shots.
Miami dwarfed that figure by putting up 3.53 xG from 27 shots, but they underperformed those figures and could not find a winner.
Match Events
1' Highlight from Inter Miami CF vs Austin FC
6' GOAL! Inter Miami CF 0-1 Austin FC (Guilherme Biro)
10' GOAL! Inter Miami CF 1-1 Austin FC (Lionel Messi)
10' GOAL! Inter Miami CF 1-1 Austin FC (Lionel Messi)
11' Match Event for Inter Miami CF vs Austin FC
21' Highlight from Inter Miami CF vs Austin FC
24' Highlight from Inter Miami CF vs Austin FC
34' Match Event for Inter Miami CF vs Austin FC
38' Highlight from Inter Miami CF vs Austin FC
40' Highlight from Inter Miami CF vs Austin FC
53' GOAL! Inter Miami CF 1-2 Austin FC (Jayden Nelson)
59' Match Event for Inter Miami CF vs Austin FC
63' Match Event for Inter Miami CF vs Austin FC
74' Highlight from Inter Miami CF vs Austin FC
82' GOAL! Inter Miami CF 2-2 Austin FC
89' Highlight from Inter Miami CF vs Austin FC
Line-ups
Inter Miami CF XI: Messi, De Paul, Maximiliano Falcón, Dayne St. Clair, David Ayala, Telasco Segovia, Tadeo Allende, Micael, Ian Fray, Noah Allen, Mateo Silvetti
Subs: Suarez, Germán Berterame, Rocco Ríos Novo, Gonzalo Luján, David Ruíz, Ezequiel Abadia-Reda, Santiago Morales, Yannick Bright, Dániel Pintér
Austin FC XI: Ilie Sánchez, Christian Ramirez, Brad Stuver, Oleksandr Svatok, Myrto Uzuni, Brendan Hines-Ike, Jon Gallagher, Facundo Torres, Joseph Rosales, Guilherme Biro, Nicolás Dubersarsky
Subs: Robert Taylor, Mikkel Desler, Besard Šabović, Jon Bell, Žan Kolmanič, Damian Las, Jayden Nelson, Mateja Djordjevic, CJ Fodrey