It was a dream start for the new manager as Lionel Messi’s brilliance secured a thrilling 3-2 victory over the Colorado Rapids.
The match took place at Denver’s massive NFL stadium in front of nearly 75,000 spectators, most of whom gathered specifically to witness the Argentine maestro in action.
While Colorado showed immense resilience, briefly threatening a comeback, Messi ultimately proved to be the clinical difference-maker.
Messi opened the scoring in the 18th minute, calmly converting a penalty after Josh Atencio committed a foul inside the box.
Although Colorado fought back in the second half with goals from Rafael Navarro and substitute Darren Yapi to level the score, Messi struck again to seal the win. Receiving a precise pass from Rodrigo De Paul, Messi maneuvered past three defenders before unleashing a trademark left-footed strike into the net.
Inter Miami’s second goal was contributed by Germán Berterame, who headed home in the closing moments of the first half following a sequence initiated by a Messi flick.
After the match, Coach Guillermo Hoyos praised his captain: “We have the greatest player in history on our team, someone who can change the course of a game single-handedly.”
The match ended on a tense note as Yannick Bright received a red card for using offensive language while protesting a teammate’s yellow card, but Miami held on to secure all three points.