Inter Miami took on Los Angeles in a high-profile match that attracted a glamorous crowd only Hollywood can provide, and it was Lionel Messi who stole the show with two assists worthy of a blockbuster movie. Despite Messi’s grand entrance in Miami, the Herons still needed to secure a spot in the MLS playoffs, and they continued to keep the thrilling narrative going with a 3-1 victory over the reigning MLS Cup champions on Sunday night. Although LAFC started strong, Facundo Farias changed the course of the game by scoring against the run of play in the 14th minute. Jordi Alba then doubled Miami’s lead after halftime, with Messi assisting Leonardo Campana to nearly seal the win. Ryan Hollingshead gave LAFC some hope with a late goal in the 90th minute, but it was not enough as they failed to mount a significant comeback against Miami.
Inter Miami secured a 2-0 victory over Los Angeles FC in an MLS match held at BMO Stadium this past Sunday evening.
In the 14th minute, Facundo Farias (pictured on the left) broke the deadlock by scoring against the run of play.
Jordi Alba, Messi’s former teammate at Barcelona, scored the second goal for Miami in the second half, extending their lead. Miami has maintained an unbeaten streak of 11 games in all competitions since Messi joined the team in July. Despite this, Messi will be absent from Miami’s next games for at least two weeks as he participates in Argentina’s World Cup qualifiers against Ecuador and Bolivia. With 11 goals and eight assists for Miami, Messi has been a vital player for the team, which is currently eight points away from a playoff position in the Eastern Conference with eight matches left in the regular season. Miami’s recent game against the defending MLS Cup champions drew a record crowd of 22,921 fans at LAFC’s BMO Stadium, making it one of the most anticipated matches since Messi’s arrival. The demand for tickets was high, with the average purchase price soaring to $717, a whopping 515% increase from before Messi signed. In comparison, Beyonce’s concert at SoFi Stadium had an average purchase price of $493. Many celebrities were spotted at the game, including Prince Harry, LAFC co-owner Will Farrell, Leonardo DiCaprio, Selena Gomez, Owen Wilson, Mario Lopez, and Edward Norton.
Messi assisted Leonardo Campana for the Herons’ third goal, securing the victory.
Inter Miami’s victory was celebrated by the World Cup winner alongside Farias, with ‘Ted Lasso’ actors Jason Sudeikis and Brendan Hunt also present at the game. Despite an impressive shot by Messi in the 38th minute, McCarthy managed to block it with his left foot. The 21-year-old FarÃas, who recently joined the club, scored his first goal in the 14th minute with a fantastic sliding shot assisted by Tomas Avilés. Alba later increased LAFC’s lead with a left-footed goal, but Messi and Campana managed to narrow the gap with a well-executed play. Even though Hollingshead scored a header to prevent a shutout, Inter Miami’s victory was sealed in front of a star-studded audience, with none other than Prince Harry showing his excitement for the game. His evident enthusiasm for the match stood in stark contrast to his apparent boredom at a Beyonce concert the previous night.
On Sunday night, people spotted Prince Harry at an LAFC soccer game facing off against Inter Miami.
Will Ferrell, one of the co-owners of the LAFC, was spotted at the game on Sunday evening.
Selena Gomez was seen enthusiastically cheering on the team from her seat in the stands.
Jason Sudeikis, known for his role as Ted Lasso in the popular Apple TV series, was spotted at the star-studded event on Sunday. The 38-year-old actor could be seen cheering on his local team at BMO Stadium in the south of the city, happily scrunching up an LAFC scarf. Owen Wilson and Mario Lopez also showed their support for the home team, sporting LAFC gear. Sudeikis stood out in a bright orange hoodie while animated Selena Gomez and a low-profile Leonardo DiCaprio were also spotted in the stands. The evening event kicked off at 10pm local time.
