SAN JOSE – Targets galore greeted a sellout crowd that got here Wednesday night time to see Messi and InterMiami go to the San Jose Earthquakes.
No, Messi didn’t rating any of the 5 targets that peppered the nets earlier than halftime. He did, nonetheless, help a 52nd-minute objective that resulted in a 3-3 draw earlier than the 18,000 followers at PayPal Park.
Messi twice practically broke the tie in additional time, solely to be thwarted by defender Daniel Munie and goalkeeper Daniel. When Messi fell to the turf within the 94th minute in entrance of the penalty field, no foul was referred to as, the sport resumed, and the tie would stand.
Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi (10) gestures after a play towards the San Jose Earthquakes in the course of the first half of an MLS soccer match at PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif., on Wednesday, Might 14, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Space Information Group)
Two followers have been clotheslined by safety guards as they rushed the sector at sport’s finish, whereas Messi headed to confront the officers over the non-call minutes earlier. Earthquakes coach Bride Area and a few gamers intervened so Messi wouldn’t overreach on his complaints.
“That is a universal language when talking about refs. He obviously wasn’t happy,” Area mentioned, “and I wanted to make sure he didn’t get a red card. To get one at the end of the game would be ridiculous. I wanted to get him out to play the next game for Miami.”
The Earthquakes (5-2-6) had received their earlier three matches, together with one within the U.S. Open Cup. Inter Miami (6-4-2) heads house after an prolonged street journey that started with Saturday’s 4-1 loss in Minnesota.
Every crew scored in Wednesday’s opening 2 minutes and 5 seconds, for a 1-1 eye-opener. It was the fifth time in MLS’s 30-year historical past that two targets have come within the opening three minutes, and it’s the quickest since 2008.
“We started the game in the best way because we scored very early, then conceded a goal and made a mistake. We’re making a lot of mistakes,” Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano mentioned. “We need to keep things positive. The team was fighting to the end to try scoring, and this is the way.”
By halftime, San Jose led 3-2, which shouldn’t have been too beautiful contemplating they’d scored MLS’s most targets coming into Wednesday’s matches.
Nor was it shocking that Messi performed a job in a tying objective early within the second half.
Messi helped Inter Miami pull even at 3 within the 52nd minute on Allende’s second objective. Messi produced a secondary help — higher often called a hockey help to the likes of San Jose Sharks’ legend Joe Thornton, who was within the stands. Messi eluded defender Dave Romney to cross the ball to Baltasar Rodriguez for an ensuing cross to Allende.
None of these first-half targets got here from Messi regardless of his tries: an 18th-minute, right-footed shot zipped huge of the left publish; a diving header from the 12-yard mark that Daniel simply saved within the Fortieth-minute; and, a 25-yard, left-footed free kick that missed huge of the suitable publish because the half expired.
“For the most part, we did a good job on Messi,” Area mentioned. “He was threatening throughout the game and out guys did a good job.”
Seemingly each time Messi touched the ball, the group reacted in unison, extra so with cheers than jeers. He didn’t communicate with reporters afterward, as has been the case since shortly after his 2023 MLS arrival.
Inter Miami discovered the web first, solely 35 seconds into the sport on Maximiliano Falcon’s header. That play began with a corner-kick faucet to Messi, and as two Earthquakes defenders approached, he handed the ball again to Telasco Segovia, who rapidly touched it again to Jordi Alba for an eventual cross that Falcon met on the objective field.
Chicho Arango scored San Jose’s equalizer 1 ½ minutes later, and Falcon contributed it upon passing the ball again to goalkeeper Oscar Ustari. A clearing try was reduce off by Christian Espinoza, who slid a centering cross to a large open Arango for his team-high ninth objective this season, one off Tai Baribo’s MLS lead.
San Jose Earthquakes’ Ian Harkes (6) scores a objective and celebrates with San Jose Earthquakes’ Vítor Costa (94) towards Inter Miami CF within the first half at PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif., on Wednesday, Might 14, 2025. (Shae Hammond/Bay Space Information Group)
Arango didn’t keep for much longer, with a left-leg damage forcing him out within the thirty first minute for Amahl Pellegrino.
The Earthquakes went forward 2-1 on rookie Beau Leroux’s blast from simply past the highest of the penalty field within the thirty seventh minute. That sequence began with Vitor Costa’s centering cross richocheted off Ian Harkes then defender Sergio Busquets to Leroux, a San Jose native who humbly mentioned he merely “hit it well” on an evening he’ll ceaselessly bear in mind.
“I’ve had an actual dream of playing against Messi and that’s come true,” Leroux mentioned. “It’s definitely a crazy feeling seeing him for the first time, and up close and personal. I’ll remember it the rest of my life. It was an honor to share the field with him and all the great players on our team and their team.”
Miami pulled even within the forty fourth minute, when Tadeo Allende kicked in a close-range shot previous Daniel on the far publish. It was Messi’s cross at midfield that expedited issues, and it elicited a “Messi” chant from the group after Allende’s objective.
San Jose snuck forward 3-2 simply earlier than halftime, courtesy of Ian Harkes’ left-footed shot from atop the penalty field and contained in the left publish. Leroux was credited with the help, on Harkes’ first objective with the Earthquakes.
An offside name nullified a go-ahead objective by Espinoza within the 62nd minute. Two minutes later, Messi obtained caught offside on a breakaway try whereas Munie rushed in to steal the ball.
With twenty minutes to go, amid a 3-3 duel, the concessions stands and infamous north-end bar have been empty as eyes have been fixated on the sport. Some followers chanted Messi’s title, and Earthquake helps tried to drown out that hum.
Messi didn’t precisely parachute in unnoticed forward of his first Bay Space sport since a 2009 pleasant at Candlestick Park between FC Barcelona and Chivas de Guadalajara. Tons of of followers congregated outdoors Inter Miami’s Santana Row resort 3 miles from PayPal Park to get a glimpse of Messi the last few days, and he obliged by waving to them from an upper-floor balcony.
MLS commissioner Don Garber, in pregame media session, recommended what he termed a “club question” why this sport stayed at San Jose’s 18,000-seat venue moderately than shift it to a bigger venue. That mentioned, Levi’s Stadium and Stanford Stadium are present process renovation; the Oakland Coliseum will host Mexico and Japan in a pleasant match Sept. 6.
“I give them a lot of credit. They could have easily moved this and had a significantly greater revenue night,” Garber mentioned. “They put in their stadium to show their fans and future fans what engaging with the ‘Quakes can be.”
Garber famous that he arrived late – although nonetheless over 90 minutes earlier than kickoff – due to visitors situation that he credited to “all the energy and activity.”
“People forget this was one of our first soccer-specific stadiums at a time when the model hadn’t been proven right,” Garber added. “It was important to bring this team back (from Houston). If not for John and his family, there wouldn’t be a pro men’s team or MLS team here in this region. The club has momentum.”
Initially Printed: Might 14, 2025 at 9:43 PM PDT
