Inter Miami CF bounced back from its midweek Concacaf Champions Cup elimination in impressive fashion Sunday afternoon, earning a gritty 3–2 road victory over New York City FC in front of 45,845 fans at Yankee Stadium.
The Herons showed early intent, striking just four minutes into the match. Center back Gonzalo Luján capitalized on a rebound after an initial attempt from Baltasar Segovia was blocked, firing home from the center of the box for the opening goal. The finish marked Luján’s first career goal and gave Inter Miami a dream start on the road.
New York City FC responded in the 17th minute through Nicolás Fernández, who leveled the match at 1–1. Inter Miami nearly reclaimed the lead before halftime behind several dangerous efforts from Lionel Messi. The Argentine superstar rattled the left post twice—once in the 31st minute and again in the 42nd—with curling strikes from outside the box, but the score remained tied heading into the break.
The hosts seized momentum early in the second half when Agustín Ojeda put NYCFC in front in the 59th minute. However, Inter Miami answered almost immediately. Just two minutes later, Messi delivered once again, curling a brilliant free kick into the net to equalize and record his fourth goal of the 2026 MLS regular season.
Inter Miami regained the lead in the 74th minute with another milestone moment. Defender Micael rose high at the right side of the box and powered home a towering header off a pinpoint cross from Noah Allen. The finish marked Micael’s first goal for the club, while Allen collected his second assist of the league campaign to make it 3–2.
From there, Inter Miami’s defense stood tall under late pressure. In the 90th minute, Tomás Avilés Ayala produced a crucial block to deny a dangerous attempt from Talles Magno inside the box. Moments later in stoppage time, goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair delivered the decisive play of the afternoon, diving to stop a header from Aiden O’Neill and preserve the lead.
St. Clair’s late heroics sealed all three points for the visitors and highlighted why the Canadian international is widely expected to play a major role for his national team at the upcoming FIFA World Cup.
The victory lifted Inter Miami to three wins in its first five league matches as the defending MLS Cup champions head into the March international window with renewed momentum. After the disappointment of their continental exit earlier in the week, the Herons responded with resilience, timely finishing, and clutch defending—an encouraging sign as they continue their title defense campaign.
