Inter Miami CF played its highly anticipated home opener at the brand-new, state-of-the-art Nu Stadium in the heart of Miami on Saturday, delivering a thrilling 2-2 draw against Austin FC in Major League Soccer regular season action.
The historic match saw captain Lionel Messi and forward Luis Suárez score the Club’s first-ever goals at Nu Stadium, giving fans plenty to celebrate in the debut at the iconic new venue.
Inter Miami started with Dayne St. Clair in goal, while the back four consisted of Ian Fray, Maximiliano Falcón, Micael, and Noah Allen.
In midfield, Rodrigo De Paul and David Ayala anchored the central roles, with Tadeo Allende, Telasco Segovia, and Mateo Silvetti positioned further up the pitch to support the attack. Leading the frontline, captain Messi spearheaded Inter Miami’s offense.
Austin FC drew first blood in the 6th minute with a goal from Guilherme Biro, but Inter Miami responded swiftly. Just four minutes later, Messi scored a precise header from inside the box to equalize, marking Inter Miami’s historic first goal at Nu Stadium. The goal also represented Messi’s fifth of the regular season and featured the first assist of the season for homegrown defender Fray.
The first half ended 1-1, but Austin reclaimed the lead in the 53rd minute. Inter Miami remained resilient, and second-half substitute Suárez secured a dramatic equalizer in the 82nd minute, converting a corner into a close-range goal. This marked Suárez’s first goal of the season, assisted by Matías Berterame and Silvetti, each tallying their second assist of the regular season.
The match, officially designated “We’re Home presented by Nu”, featured a ribbon-cutting ceremony with participation from co-owners Jorge Mas and David Beckham, as fans celebrated the Club’s new state-of-the-art home in downtown Miami.
Inter Miami will continue its regular season campaign with a visit from New York Red Bulls next Saturday, April 11, aiming to build on the momentum from their memorable Nu Stadium debut.
