Despite plenty of difficulties, Inter Miami escaped their first two MLS matches with four points. Now, they host in-state rivals Orlando City on Saturday in Ft. Lauderdale.
Lionel Messi rescued the club out in Los Angeles last week, snatching a 1-1 draw with the LA Galaxy on a 92nd-minute equalizer after the hosts had a player controversially sent off moments prior.
However, Inter Miami displayed significant weaknesses throughout the 90 minutes, and like in their opener against Real Salt Lake, they would have suffered a worse fate had the opponent not wasted a considerable amount of chances on goal.
Here, they welcome a prolific attacking side to Chase Stadium. While Orlando City were blanked in a scoreless draw with CF Montreal in their league opener last weekend, they collected six goals on Canadian club Cavalry FC across two legs of CONCACAF Champions Cup play in recent matches.
The Sporting News is following the Inter Miami vs Orlando City match live, providing score updates, commentary and highlights as they happen.
Inter Miami vs Orlando City live score
| Score | Goal scorers | |
| Inter Miami | – | – |
| Orlando City | – | – |
Kickoff: 4:30 p.m. ET / 1:30 p.m. PT
Location: Chase Stadium (Ft. Lauderdale, FL)
Referee: Jamie Herrera
Starting lineups (predicted):
Inter Miami (4-3-3, right to left): Callender (GK) — Yedlin, Kryvtsov, Aviles, Alba — Gressel, Busquets, Gomez — Messi, Suarez, Taylor.
Orlando City (4-2-3-1, right to left): Gallese (GK) — Thorhallsson, Brekalo, Jansson, R. Santos — C. Araujo, Cartagena — Angulo, Lodeiro, F. Torres — McGuire.
Inter Miami vs Orlando City live updates, highlights, commentary
45 mins to kickoff: We are still waiting for lineups for both teams in this match, but Lionel Messi has arrived at Chase Stadium and is expected to start once the Inter Miami XI is confirmed.
.@InterMiamiCF in the house for their battle against Orlando City.
📺 Free (4:30pm ET) with #MLSSeasonPass: https://t.co/SLYFesMDv6 pic.twitter.com/bealaZkoow
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) March 2, 2024
1 hour to kickoff: Former MLS MVP David Villa has spoken out about Lionel Messi’s time in the U.S. league, saying that Messi’s presence in MLS is “fantastic for the country and for the league.”
“Obviously, the fact that the best soccer player in all of history ends up in that league is very important. It is a milestone and will further the growth that has been taking place for many years [in MLS].”
1 hour 15 mins to kick: Lionel Messi’s heroics at Inter Miami have apparently attracted the attention of his former Barcelona teammate Neymar, who is currently rehabbing a torn ACL while contracted to Saudi Pro League club AL Hilal. At the Bahrain Grand Prix, Neymar expressed his desire to potentially play alongside Messi again, but could Inter Miami afford yet another aging, injury prone superstar?
Neymar Jr: “Me and Messi playing together again? I hope so, I hope we will get to play together again. He’s a great person, everyone knows him. I think he’s happy [in Miami] and if he’s happy I’m happy too.” @ESPNArgentina pic.twitter.com/hR5Y84gr4u
— All About Argentina 🛎🇦🇷 (@AlbicelesteTalk) March 2, 2024
1 hour 30 mins to kick: Orlando City and Duncan McGuire were both dealt a significant blow this past offseason as a Deadline Day transfer to English club Blackburn fell through in dramatic fashion. The Championship side botched the paperwork at the last moment, leading to a late submission of documents and a failed appeal, all of which occurred while McGuire was on a flight to England to complete the move.
While it was quite an emotional moment, Orlando City will have McGuire for at least the first half of the season, as he is thought likely to complete the deal this summer, and they are a much better attacking side for it. New signing Luis Murial will have to wait his chance, as McGuire has carried over his fine form from last season by scoring just 21 minutes into his season debut against Cavalry last week. This is a scary forward line for Orlando City with McGuire still at the helm.
Hit that griddy, Duncan McGuire 👀@OrlandoCitySC takes the first half 1-0 lead! pic.twitter.com/r2vNXKOrlt
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) February 22, 2024
1 hour 45 mins to kick: There has been a controversy with the officiating crew assigned to tonight’s match. PRO, the organization who employs MLS referees, has made a change to the lead official after a photo surfaced on social media of the initially appointed head referee Guilherme Ceretta wearing a Lionel Messi Inter Miami kit. Due to “a potential conflict” acknowledged by PRO in a statement to The Athletic, the change to Jamie Herrera was made.
It’s yet another embarrassing turn in the truly damaging saga of the MLS referee lockout, as the replacement officials continue to look unfit for duty. Last weekend’s Inter Miami game was marred by the dubious late red card to Galaxy midfielder Mark Delgado, which even Sergio Busquets admitted was incorrect. The yellow card was overturned on appeal, meaning Delgado will not be suspended.
Your scab referee for #MIAvORL, folks!@TheManeLand @EvanLWeston @alonso_purple @GavinEwbank #InterMiamiCF #OrlandoCity https://t.co/G8VcXXBH4g pic.twitter.com/tsWSlZEIGG
— MLS Referee Stats (@MLSRefStats) March 2, 2024
2 hours to kickoff: Last season, Lionel Messi was largely praised by the Inter Miami squad for how relatable and down-to-earth he was, painting himself as just one of the guys. This season, as he looks to manage his own workload as well as that of his fellow former Barcelona gang, it appears he is doing more individual work at training, at least at times that are open to the media.
4️⃣ Los Cuatros Fantásticos Comienzan Trabajos Especificos!
Inter Miami’s Fantastic Four of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba are running through ball drills separate from the rest of the group prior to the start of team training.#InterMiamiCF #Messi𓃵 pic.twitter.com/yrqUR1QcJb
— Franco Panizo (@FrancoPanizo) February 28, 2024
Inter Miami vs Orlando City lineups, team news
All season long, the availability of both Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez will be a constant discussion point. Messi struggled with muscle tweaks at the end of last season and in last month’s preseason tour, so rest will be required at some point, but he should be set for this home match. Suarez, meanwhile, has a chronic knee problem that will also see him sat at various stages of the season.
Diego Gomez came off in the 84th minute of the last match and looked to be in pain, but Tata Martino said he was simply suffering from cramps. Benjamin Cremaschi is out through at least the end of April with a hernia, while Facundo Farias has been ruled out for the season with an ACL tear.
New signing Nicolas Freire will likely push for a starting center-back spot at some point, but he is recovering from a knee injury he carried from before his winter transfer, and as such, Serhiy Kryvtsov has been the starter alongside Tomas Aviles. Freire was available off the bench against the LA Galaxy last weekend but did not appear.
Inter Miami projected starting lineup (4-3-3): Callender (GK) — Yedlin, Kryvtsov, Aviles, Alba — Gressel, Busquets, Gomez — Messi, Suarez, Taylor.
Inter Miami bench (9): Lineups are confirmed one hour before kickoff
Orlando City head coach Oscar Pareja rested a number of his regulars in the midweek CONCACAF Champions Cup win over Cavalry, and thus the likes of Facundo Torres, Duncan McGuire, and Nicolas Lodeiro should be set to go for this weekend’s league match.
There are no injury concerns for Orlando City at the moment. Maguire remains the starting striker following his dramatic failed transfer to English club Blackburn Rovers, likely to make that move in the summer but for now remaining the key man ahead of new signing Luis Muriel who got the nod midweek.
Orlando City projected starting lineup (4-2-3-1): Gallese (GK) — Thorhallsson, Brekalo, Jansson, R. Santos — C. Araujo, Cartagena — Angulo, Lodeiro, F. Torres — McGuire.
Orlando City bench (9): Lineups are confirmed one hour before kickoff
How to watch Inter Miami vs Orlando City
- Date: Saturday, March 2, 2024
- Time: 4:30 p.m. ET / 1:30 p.m. PT
- Streaming (Global): MLS Season Pass from Apple TV
- TV channel (USA): FOX (English), FOX Deportes (Spanish)
- Streaming (USA): Fubo, FOX Sports app/website
Every single match of the 2024 MLS regular season, playoffs, and Leagues Cup can all be found across the globe exclusively on MLS Season Pass from Apple TV.
Learn how to sign up here and catch every game all year long.
This Inter Miami vs. Orlando City match is part of this weekend’s selection of games available for free on MLS Season Pass, for anyone to view without needing a subscription. Apple TV makes up to six matches each week available for free, while the rest require an MLS Season Pass subscription to access.
Additionally, this match has been selected for television broadcast in the United States on FOX, with a Spanish-language broadcast also available via FOX Deportes. Both channels are available to stream in the U.S. on Fubo.
