05/02/26 08:46:00
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05/02 20:44 CDT Ojeda gets hat trick, Messi and Inter Miami waste 3-0 lead and
fall 4-3 to Orlando City
Ojeda gets hat trick, Messi and Inter Miami waste 3-0 lead and fall 4-3 to
Orlando City
By TIM REYNOLDS
AP Sports Writer
MIAMI (AP) --- Lionel Messi and Inter Miami had a 3-0 lead, against in-state
rival Orlando City, on co-owner David Beckham's 51st birthday no less, finally
looking poised to get the long-awaited first win on its new home field.
Martin Ojeda and Orlando City had other ideas.
Ojeda scored three goals, Tyrese Spicer had the go-ahead goal in the third
minute of stoppage time and Orlando City stunned Inter Miami 4-3 on Saturday
night --- ending the reigning MLS champions' 11-game unbeaten streak across all
competitions.
Messi had a goal and two assists in his 100th appearance for the club, and
somehow, that wasn't enough against a team that came into the night near the
bottom of the MLS standings. Inter Miami fell to 0-1-3 at its new stadium.
Ian Fray and Telasco Segovia also scored for Inter Miami, which was unbeaten
(5-0-6) in its last 11 matches across all competitions and its last nine
matches (5-0-4) in MLS play.
Orlando City (3-7-1) had won only two of its last 15 MLS matches --- including
playoffs --- dating to last season. Orlando City also was 0-4-1 on the road in
MLS play this season.
None of that mattered. Ojeda scored in the 39th minute to send Orlando into the
half down 3-1. He scored again in the 68th minute to make matters interesting.
Too interesting from the Inter Miami perspective.
Ojeda had a great chance to tie it in the 73rd minute, alone on the right side
of the box. But Inter Miami goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair came well off his line
and made a point-blank save to keep the score 3-2.
Ojeda wouldn't be denied, connecting on a penalty kick in the 78th minute to
tie things up at 3-3. He had another chance in the 80th minute, with St. Clair
stopping that one with his face --- yes, his face --- to keep the match tied.
Spicer eventually got the go-ahead goal for the visitors, Messi and the Herons
kept arguing over what they felt were missed calls, and time ran out.
Inter Miami has four matches left before MLS' seven-week stoppage for the FIFA
World Cup begins. None of those looming opponents --- Toronto, Cincinnati,
Portland and Philadelphia --- was over the .500 mark entering Saturday.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
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