Lionel Messi scored his 101st goal for Inter Miami with a trademark free-kick on Sunday, but the Herons were held to a 2-2 draw by San Diego FC in Major League Soccer, extending their run of consecutive draws to four matches.
Inter Miami entered Sunday night’s fixture at Nu Stadium looking to reclaim momentum in the Eastern Conference, but instead walked away with another frustrating stalemate. The outcome marked Inter Miami’s fourth consecutive draw in Major League Soccer play.
Anders Dreyer Stuns Miami With a Brace
San Diego FC forward Anders Dreyer dictated the rhythm of the match from the opening half, exploiting defensive vulnerabilities to secure a vital road point. Dreyer opened the scoring just 12 minutes into the contest when he capitalized on a through ball from Jeppe Tverskov, chipping the ball neatly over goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair.
Though Messi and Luis Suárez managed to swing the scoreline in Miami’s favor later in the evening, Dreyer struck again in the 82nd minute. Beating the Miami offside trap, the Danish forward completed his brace to punish the home side’s defensive lapses and ensure the spoils were shared in Florida.
Messi Reaches Milestone 101 Amid Defensive Frustrations
Messi provided the night’s brightest offensive highlight in the 24th minute, answering the early deficit with a signature set-piece. According to football transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano, the strike marked Messi’s 75th career free-kick goal, brought his overall career tally to 930 goals, and registered as his 20th league goal of the 2026 MLS campaign.
The milestone arrived just days after Messi reached his century mark for the club during a Campeones Cup victory over Mexican side Cruz Azul. Yet newly arrived manager Kily Gonzalez made it clear that milestones could not mask glaring structural errors at the back. Gonzalez finally took his place in the dugout after resolving a work visa delay, but his managerial debut in the league left him venting about his squad’s defensive fragility.
“We’ve been here for four days and haven’t been able to train properly. Defensively, we really need to be much stronger. We can’t commit these defensive horrors, they come at a high cost. That final situation shouldn’t have happened. It’s surreal to be in a position to win the game, yet nearly lose it. We only avoided defeat because our goalkeeper saved us.”
Kily Gonzalez, Inter Miami manager, via Yahoo and 101 Great Goals
Gonzalez also pointed toward an unexpected mental hurdle following their recent silverware. The manager suggested that the Campeones Cup victory created an unconscious complacency, particularly during a disjointed first-half performance.
FIFA Announces Nu Stadium to Host Women’s Champions Cup Final Phase
Amid the domestic league drama, international soccer news touched down in South Florida on Sunday. Earlier in the day, FIFA announced that the final phase of the 2027 FIFA Women’s Champions Cup will take place at Inter Miami’s home venue, Nu Stadium, in January.
FIFA Chief Football Officer Jill Ellis addressed fans at halftime to discuss the decision to bring the prestigious tournament to Miami, highlighting the region’s expanding soccer culture.
“I think we’ve seen that this city loves its football. We’ve seen it this past summer with the World Cup. I think it’s time to bring a major women’s tournament here to Miami. I think it’s exciting.”
Jill Ellis, FIFA Chief Football Officer, via Infonews
Upcoming Fixtures for Miami and San Diego
Inter Miami will attempt to snap their four-match drawing streak next Sunday when they travel to face the Columbus Crew in a high-stakes away fixture. San Diego FC will hit the road as well, heading to take on Austin FC on Saturday.
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