SOCCER: Lionel Messi, Miami score four in second half to upend Orlando

Lionel Messi scored twice, Telasco Sevogia netted the tiebreaking goal in the 85th minute and assisted on two others, and Inter Miami dominated the second half to record a 4-2 comeback victory over host Orlando City on Sunday night.

Mateo Silvetti also contributed a goal and an assist in Miami’s four-goal second half, erasing a 2-0 deficit. The Herons (1-1-0, 3 points) bounced back from a 3-0 season-opening loss to Los Angeles FC.

Messi scored in the 57th and 90th minutes, giving him eight goals in five meetings against the Lions across all competitions.

Orlando City (0-2-0, 0 points) saw goals from Marco Pasalic and Martin Ojeda, but the Lions could not hold their early lead. Orlando struggled to clear the ball during the tiebreaking sequence, allowing Miami’s German Berterame to start the play that ended with Sevogia’s right-footed shot finding the net.

Three minutes later, Orlando City’s Colin Guske received his second yellow card for pulling down Messi, resulting in a red card and ejection. The Lions played the final 10 minutes of regulation plus stoppage time with 10 men.

Messi capped the comeback in the 90th minute with a left-footed free kick that sailed past the wall into the left post, giving the Herons a two-goal advantage.

Goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair made three saves for Miami, which outshot Orlando City 16-12 and placed eight shots on target to the Lions’ five. Maxime Crepeau recorded four saves for Orlando.

Miami came out strong after halftime. Silvetti scored in the 49th minute from outside the box, and Messi equalized eight minutes later with a precise left-footed shot.

Orlando had opened the scoring in the 18th minute when Ivan Angulo assisted Pasalic, whose left-footed strike deflected off St. Clair’s arms into the net. Six minutes later, Ojeda made it 2-0 following a give-and-go with Griffin Dorsey.

Ojeda nearly restored Orlando’s lead in the 70th minute, but St. Clair blocked his close-range shot. Messi also had a first-half free kick go wide left in the 28th minute.

Last season, Orlando City had won both regular-season meetings against Miami, prevailing 4-0 and 3-1, but the Herons responded emphatically in this matchup.

—Field Level Media/Reuters