Inter Miami has signed Paraguay international Matías Rojas on an one-year contract through the 2024 season, helping to alleviate injury concerns within the roster.
The 28-year-old midfielder was most recently with Brazilian giants Corinthians, but recorded just 30 appearances since joining last summer. He failed to appear in a match since February due to a dispute with the front office over a lack of payments, according to reports in Brazil.
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Prior to Corinthians, Rojas spent time with Cerro Porteño (2014-2018) in Paraguay and Racing Club (2019-23) in Argentina.
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“I’m happy, joining a spectacular Club like Inter Miami is a dream come true,” said Rojas. “I’m excited to compete and help my teammates achieve the team’s objectives.”
The player now arrives as a free agent that allows Inter Miami to continue abiding by Major League Soccer’s strict roster rules, a subject which head coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino has been frequently outspoken on.
After Saturday’s 3-1 victory over Nashville, Martino lamented having to turn to rookies Yannick Bright and Leonardo Alfonso.
“In a league like MLS, that is so strict with roster rules, salary cap and academy players, we had to make certain movements to be able to count on Yannick Bright and Leo Alfonso,” he said.
“It wasn’t easy because we had to include them in the principal roster, and that involves having less money for other signings. This isn’t an ease that the league grants, and we have to replace important players with two players we selected 60 days ago in a draft.”
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Rojas’ arrival will provide Miami with flexibility in the midfield, after regular starter Diego Gómez suffered an ankle sprain in the match against Nashville. Gómez is set to be sidelined for about six weeks while undergoing treatment.
Inter Miami currently has seven players unavailable due to injury, including Jordi Alba (hamstring), Leonardo Campana (hamstring) and Facundo Farías (ACL).
“We’re pleased to bring in attacking midfielder Matías Rojas,” said Miami chief soccer officer and sporting director Chris Henderson. “He is a skillful and experienced player at both the club and national team levels whose versatility we believe will be an asset for the team.
“We think this addition helps strengthen our squad as we aim to compete for titles after a strong start of the MLS season.
Despite the absences, Miami leads the Eastern Conference table with 18 points from 10 games.
ORLANDO, Fla. — Lionel Messi scored twice in a four-goal second half, defender Telasco Segovia added a goal and two assists and defending champion Inter Miami CF rallied to beat Orlando City SC 4-2 on Sunday night, winning for the first time at Inter&Co Stadium.
Messi took a pass from Segovia and scored in the 57th minute to tie it 2-2, and Segovia scored unassisted in the 85th for the lead. Messi put the finishing touch on the victory when he scored off a free kick in the 90th.
“The victory belongs exclusively to the players,” Miami coach Javier Mascherano said after the game. “In the second half, they were a championship team. There were no tactics, nothing like that. There was heart, courage, possession, resilience, commitment. I think the team came out because they were champions last year.
“In the end, the players showed it. This victory is theirs.”
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Messi’s first two goals of the season give him 52 in his first 55 regular-season MLS matches — 51 of them in his past 49 appearances. It also brought the reigning MLS MVP to 898 career goals scored, including 672 for Barcelona and 115 for Argentina.
“He’s the best player to ever play this sport. He’s a leader, and as a leader, he inspires others, but he also often needs to be inspired himself,” Mascherano said of Messi. “When he was driving forward, he had more attacking options, and with so many opportunities, he clearly has the ability to create chances like no one else, and that’s what allowed us to turn the game around.”
Marco Pašalić took a pass from Iván Angulo and scored in the 18th minute to give Orlando City a 1-0 lead. Pašalić has scored in four straight matches against Inter Miami.
Inter Miami players celebrate after scoring a goal against Orlando City in MLS.
Defender Griffin Dorsey set up Martín Ojeda for a goal six minutes later for a 2-0 advantage that stood through halftime.
Inter Miami cut it to 2-1 four minutes into the second half on Mateo Silvetti’s first career goal. Defenders Segovia and Facundo Mura had assists as the 20-year-old forward found the net in his fifth career appearance.
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Segovia had eight goals and six assists as a rookie last season, while Mura collected his first assist in his first season.
Dayne St. Clair, the reigning goalkeeper of the year, turned away three shots — all in the second half of his second start with Inter Miami, but let in a soft goal for Orlando’s first.
Maxime Crépeau had four saves in his second start for Orlando City.
Teenager Colin Guske, 19, will miss Orlando City’s next match after the rookie picked up two yellow cards in his first start — the second one led to his exit in the 88th minute.
Inter Miami, which had never won in its previous nine trips to Orlando, was coming off a 3-0 road loss to LAFC.
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Orlando City swept Inter Miami during the regular season last year and leads the all-time series 8-7-4.
Inter Miami plays D.C. United on Saturday at Audi Field. Orlando City is also on the road with a match against New York City FC.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this recap.
Rain floods Miami Beach streets, cut short Miami Heat Family Festival
MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — Much-needed rain fell across South Florida on Sunday, but the downpour quickly led to flooding and traffic headaches.
“The drainage systems aren’t the best but in ten minutes it will be gone,” one person said.
The rain lasted longer than 10 minutes, flooding several spots along Collins Avenue in Miami Beach.
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In one neighborhood, at least a foot of water blocked the entrance. Drivers who attempted to pass through sent waves crashing onto nearby sidewalks.
The heavy rain also snarled traffic on parts of Interstate 95 and on the bridges to and from Miami Beach, slowing drivers trying to get around the area.
“It’s Miami for you. What do they call it, a sun shower?” one driver said.
The weather disrupted Sunday plans for many. The 26th annual Miami Heat Family Festival was cut short after strong winds swept through Dan Paul Plaza, knocking over several tents.
There is no word yet on how or when the Miami Heat plan to make up the family festival.
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Brett Knese
Brett Knese joined the Local 10 News team as a general assignment reporter in March 2025.
Jack and Jill of America’s Miami chapter closed out Black History Month with an inaugural “Roots Across Waters” trip to Nassau, where families explored ancestral sites, honored the Bahamian labor that helped build early Miami, and donated Afro‑Caribbean children’s books to local students.
