\u00a9 Dustin Markland\/Getty ImagesMartin Ojeda #10 of Orlando City celebrates after scoring against Inter Miami.<\/p>\n
Orlando City<\/a> will host Inter Miami at Inter&Co Stadium for the first Florida Derby of the 2026 MLS season on Sunday. Stay tuned to our live coverage of the game to not miss a single moment of the action.<\/p>\n This edition of the Florida Derby carries added weight for both sides as they look to bounce back after disappointing season openers. Orlando kicked off the campaign with a 2-1 home defeat in which they were largely dominated by the New York Red Bulls, while Lionel Messi\u2019s Inter Miami<\/a> suffered a sobering 3-0 loss to Son Heung-min\u2019s LAFC on the road.<\/p>\n The Herons also saw midweek action in Thursday\u2019s friendly against Independiente del Valle, where Messi scored his first goal of 2026<\/a>. Now with regular-season points on the line, both Florida clubs will be pushing for a win to climb the MLS<\/a> standings and take a step toward their ultimate goal: the playoffs.<\/p>\n 09:14PMFull-time!<\/p>\n Inter Miami defeat Orlando City 4-2 in the Florida Derby.<\/p>\n 09:10PM98′ \u2013 Yellow card for Inter Miami (2-4)<\/p>\n After constants exchange of words with Orlando boss Oscar Pareja, De Paul sees the yellow card.<\/p>\n 09:05PM93′ \u2013 Yellow card in Inter Miami (2-4)<\/p>\n Telasco Segovia kicked the ball after the referee called a foul, prompting the Venezuelan midfielder to receive the yellow card.<\/p>\n 09:04PM91′ \u2013 Ten more minutes (2-4)<\/p>\n After the several delays and fouls, referee Elfath decided to add on ten minutes to the game.<\/p>\n 09:03PM92′ \u2013 Substitution for Inter Miami (2-4)<\/p>\n After the goal, Javier Mascherano took Allende off to bring Gonzalo Lujan in.<\/p>\n 09:02PM90′ \u2013 GOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAL FOR INTER MIAMI (2-4)<\/p>\n Despite being the one brought down to earn the red card, Messi stepped up to take the free kick himself, and with a beautifully curled effort, the ball squirmed through Cr\u00e9peau’s hands and into the net, completing his brace in the Florida Derby.<\/p>\n 09:00PM88′ \u2013 Red card for Orlando City (2-3)<\/p>\n Once again Messi picked up the ball and began driving forward on what looked like a dangerous attack, and once again Guske hauled him down \u2014 earning a second yellow card in the process and leaving Orlando down to 10 men.<\/p>\n 08:57PM85′ \u2013 GOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAL FOR INTER MIAMI (2-3)<\/p>\n After pressing high up the pitch, Germ\u00e1n Berterame reached the end line and delivered a cross to Messi, who played it across the face of goal to Telasco Segovia, and the Venezuelan finished clinically to complete the stunning comeback for Inter Miami.<\/p>\n 08:51PM79′ \u2013 Double substitution in Orlando City (2-2)<\/p>\n Looking for more fresh legs into the game, Orlando City boss makes a double substitution: Eduard Atuesta and Tiago in, Ivan Angulo and Marco Pasalic out.<\/p>\n 08:47PM75′ \u2013 Orlando City keep collecting yellow cards (2-2)<\/p>\n Pa\u0161ali\u0107 lost his composure after a provocation from Falc\u00f3n, squaring up to the defender chest-to-chest and earning himself a yellow card in the process.<\/p>\n 08:44PM72′ \u2013 Another yellow card for Orlando City (2-2)<\/p>\n With the ball nowhere near either player, Dorsey barged into De Paul and sent him to the ground, earning himself a yellow card for the challenge.<\/p>\n 08:42PM70′ \u2013 St. Clair and Falcon save Inter Miami (2-2)<\/p>\n In yet another sharp through ball from Pa\u0161ali\u0107, Ojeda received the pass in stride and unleashed a strike that St. Clair got down to save, before Maxi Falc\u00f3n threw himself to head the rebound clear and deny the Orlando forward a second chance.<\/p>\n 08:38PM66′ \u2013 Second substitution in Orlando (2-2)<\/p>\n Looking for more pace up front, Orlando City move their pieces on the field: Duncan McGuire out, Tyrese Spicer in.<\/p>\n 08:32PM60′ \u2013 Injury and substitution in Orlando City (2-2)<\/p>\n Unable to continue due to an injury, Nolan Mille comes off, with coach Oscar Pareja subbing Iago Silva in.<\/p>\n 08:29PM57′ \u2013 GOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAL FOR INTER MIAMI (2-2)<\/p>\n After a slick combination on the edge of the box involving De Paul, Allende and Berterame, Messi nicked the ball from Segovia before curling a shot into the far corner that Cr\u00e9peau had no chance with.<\/p>\n 08:28PM56′ \u2013 Easy save for Cr\u00e9peau (2-1)<\/p>\n After Inter Miami recovered the ball high, Messi tried from distance, but his shot was easily save by Cr\u00e9peau.<\/p>\n 08:23PM51′ \u2013 St. Clair saves Miami! (2-1)<\/p>\n Ojeda and McGuire combined well again, with the Argentine unleashing a powerful strike that St. Clair did well to turn around the post and out for a corner.<\/p>\n 08:21PM49′ \u2013 GOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAL FOR INTER MIAMI (2-1)<\/p>\n Inter Miami were patient in the buildup, and new substitute Silvetti made an instant impact, unleashing a thunderous strike from outside the box to halve the deficit early in the second half.<\/p>\n 08:18PM45′ \u2013 First substitution in Inter Miami (2-0)<\/p>\n Head coach Javier Mascherano opted to shake things up with the game’s first substitution in search of a comeback, bringing on Mateo Silvetti and withdrawing Noah Allen.<\/p>\n 08:17PMSecond half underway!<\/p>\n Referee Ismail Elfath blows his whistle, and the second half of the Florida Derby is underway!<\/p>\n 08:00PMHalftime<\/p>\n Orlando City are ahead 2-0 against Inter Miami.<\/p>\n 07:59PM49′ \u2013 Two yellow cards per one (2-0)<\/p>\n During a brief altercation in the box before play resumed, Tadeo Allende and Nolan Miller were both shown yellow cards.<\/p>\n 07:56PM45′ \u2013 Two more minutes (2-0)<\/p>\n Two minutes have been added of extra time in the first half of the game.<\/p>\n 07:55PM45′ \u2013 First yellow card of the game (2-0)<\/p>\n Leading the counterattack, Lionel Messi ended up being pulled by Colin Guske, effectively stopping the attack, but earning the yellow card.<\/p>\n 07:51PM41′ \u2013 Messi’s freekick goes wide! (2-0)<\/p>\n After Pa\u0161ali\u0107 brought Berterame down, Lionel Messi stepped up to take the resulting free kick, but a slight deflection off the wall took it away from goal once again.<\/p>\n 07:45PM35′ \u2013 Another chance for Messi! (2-0)<\/p>\n De Paul and Messi combined once again, who shot with his right foot, but the chance ended up being blocked by an Orlando defender.<\/p>\n 07:44PM33′ \u2013 Allende misses the deficit (2-0)<\/p>\n After a well-weighted long ball from Messi, Allende got off a shot from the right side that Cr\u00e9peau gathered comfortably.<\/p>\n 07:41PM31′ \u2013 Micael snubs Pasalic from the brace (2-0)<\/p>\n Laying the ball back to the edge of the box, Dorsey tried to find Pa\u0161ali\u0107, but defender Micael slid in to nick the ball cleanly off the Croatian’s feet.<\/p>\n 07:38PM28′ \u2013 Cr\u00e9peau saves Orlando twice (2-0)<\/p>\n Frustrated by the lack of progress in the buildup, De Paul tried his luck from distance, forcing Cr\u00e9peau into a save \u2014 and just seconds later, he slipped the ball to Messi, who tested the Canadian goalkeeper once again.<\/p>\n 07:34PM24′ \u2013 GOOOOOOAAAAAAAL FOR ORLANDO CITY (2-0)<\/p>\n Catching Inter Miami out of position on the counter, Dorsey cut inside and laid the ball off to Ojeda, who played a quick one-two with the overlapping right back before curling a stunning trivela into the net to double Orlando’s lead.<\/p>\n 07:33PM22′ \u2013 Inter Miami looking for the equalizer (1-0)<\/p>\n After Orlando’s opener, the team coached by Ojeda are now sitting deep in their own side of the pitch, with Inter Miami looking for the equalizer, but failing to verticalize.<\/p>\n 07:29PM18′ \u2013 GOOOOOAAAAAAAL FOR ORLANDO CITY (1-0)<\/p>\n Trying to build out of the back, De Paul gave the ball away to Iv\u00e1n Dar\u00edo, who drove forward down the left flank before whipping a cross to the edge of the box, where Marco Pa\u0161ali\u0107 brought it down and unleashed a half-volley that beat St. Clair \u2014 who got a hand to it but could not keep it out \u2014 to give Orlando the lead.<\/p>\n 07:26PM16′ \u2013 Inter Miami and Orlando City far from goal (0-0)<\/p>\n Despite Messi’s opportunity, Inter Miami have been unable to translate their dominance into clear-cut chances, with Orlando City sitting well off St. Clair’s goal and showing little attacking intent.<\/p>\n 07:21PM10′ \u2013 Cr\u00e9peau makes a great save! (0-0)<\/p>\n Lionel Messi sparked a swift counterattack, and after the Herons shifted play from left to right, De Paul delivered an accurate cross to Messi, who flicked it on with a backheel \u2014 only to be denied by a superb stop from goalkeeper Maxime Cr\u00e9peau.<\/p>\n 07:18PM7′ \u2013 Guske gets fouled by Messi (0-0)<\/p>\n After an opening spell of Inter Miami dominance, Orlando have begun to settle into the match, growing more comfortable in possession \u2014 to the point where midfielder Guske drew a foul from Lionel Messi.<\/p>\n 07:15PM5′ \u2013 Inter Miami controlling the game from the start (0-0)<\/p>\n With no clear chances yet, Inter Miami are looking comfortable in possession, while Orlando City have struggled to string passes together, suffocated by the Herons’ high pressure.<\/p>\n 07:10PMThe game has started!<\/p>\n Ismail Elfath blows his whistle, and the Florida Derby is underway!<\/p>\n 07:00PMWho is the referee for Orlando City vs. Inter Miami?<\/p>\n Ismail Elfath has been appointed to officiate Sunday evening’s clash between Orlando City and Inter Miami. The 43-year-old American has overseen 17 Orlando City matches, compiling a record of four wins, three draws and 10 defeats, while in 11 Inter Miami games he has seen the Herons go six wins, two draws and three defeats.<\/p>\n This will be Elfath’s third Florida Derby, and the first with Lionel Messi on the pitch. His previous two appointments ended in a 2-1 Orlando City win back in 2020 and a 0-0 draw in 2021.<\/p>\n Match officiating team:<\/p>\n Referee: Ismail Elfath. 06:50PMHead-to-head between Orlando City and Inter Miami<\/p>\n The Florida Derby has a rich history across multiple competitions, including MLS regular season play, the U.S. Open Cup and the Leagues Cup. Across all meetings, Inter Miami hold the overall edge with eight wins, compared to six for Orlando City, while four matches have ended in a draw.<\/p>\n Lionel Messi has featured in four of those 18 contests, and the numbers tell a favorable story for the Argentine. He holds a record of three wins and one defeat against the Lions, a side he has found the net against six times, making Orlando one of his more productive opponents, and Sunday’s clash a prime opportunity to score his first official goal of 2026.<\/p>\n 06:10PMInter Miami confirm their XI!<\/p>\n With Lionel Messi in the starting lineup, head coach Javier Mascherano has named his XI to take on Orlando City (4-2-3-1): Dayne St. Clair, Facundo Mura, Maxi Falcon, Micael Silva, Noah Allen; Rodrigo de Paul, Yannick Bright; Tadeo Allende, Lionel Messi, Telasco Segovia; German Berterame.<\/p>\n 06:05PMOrlando City’s starting lineup confirmed!<\/p>\n Head coach Oscar Pareja confirmed the eleven players that’ll start the game against Inter Miami:\u00a0Maxime Cr\u00e9peau; Griffin Dorsey, David Brekalo, Nolan Miller, Tahir Reid-Brown; Marco Pa\u0161ali\u0107, Braian Ojeda, Colin Guske, Iv\u00e1n Angulo, Mart\u00edn Ojeda; Duncan McGuire.<\/p>\n 05:55PMInter Miami announce short-term deal for academy graduate Shaw<\/p>\n Inter Miami have announced an agreement with academy graduate Alexander Shaw on a short-term deal<\/a>, making him available for today’s Florida Derby.<\/p>\n The 17-year-old midfielder was brought along by head coach Javier Mascherano on the club’s preseason tour, earning several appearances, including a start in Thursday’s friendly against Independiente del Valle. With 13 games of MLS NEXT Pro experience under his belt with Inter Miami CF II, Shaw could be in line to make his MLS debut against Orlando.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 05:45PMKickoff time and how to watch<\/p>\n Orlando City and Inter Miami’s game will begin at 7:00 PM (ET).<\/p>\n You can watch the MLS match live<\/a> on MLS Season Pass.<\/p>\n 05:30PMOrlando City host Inter Miami in MLS<\/p>\n Welcome to our live coverage of the Florida Derby as Orlando City hosts Inter Miami for a high-stakes Matchday 2 clash in MLS. Stay with us for the most important information about both teams, and once the game kicks off, for minute-by-minute updates!<\/p>\n
1st Assistant Referee: Corey Parker
2nd Assistant Referee: Jeremy Kieso
4th Official: Rosendo Mendoza
VAR: Edvin Jurisevic
AVAR1: Kyle Atkins<\/p>\n![\"200+](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/fubo.png\")
<\/a>200+ Channels & Local SportsPrice: Plans starting at $14.99\/mo (Latino)Watch Ligue 1, Copa Libertadores & World Cup Qualifiers![\"Every](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/apple_tv_white.png\")
<\/a>Every MLS Match in One PlacePrice: $12.99\/mo (Now included with standard subscription)Watch every MLS regular season game, Playoffs & Leagues Cup![\"Many](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/espn.jpeg\")
<\/a>Many Sports & ESPN OriginalsPrice: $11.99\/mo (or ESPN Unlimited for $29.99\/mo)Features LaLiga, Bundesliga, FA Cup & NWSL![\"2,000+](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/paramount.jpeg\")
<\/a>2,000+ Soccer Games Per YearPrice: Starting at $8.99\/moFeatures Champions League, Serie A & Europa League![\"Home](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/peacook.jpeg\")
<\/a>Home of the Premier LeaguePrice: Starting at $10.99\/mo175+ Exclusive EPL matches per season<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\u00a9 Dustin Markland\/Getty ImagesMartin Ojeda #10 of Orlando City celebrates after scoring against Inter Miami. Orlando City will…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":174537,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[10073,5692,139,4786,141,140],"class_list":["post-174536","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-orlando","tag-inter-miami","tag-mls","tag-orlando","tag-orlando-city","tag-orlando-headlines","tag-orlando-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/174536","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=174536"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/174536\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/174537"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=174536"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=174536"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=174536"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}