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Lionel Messi-led Inter Miami unveils five-match, four-country preseason trip

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Lionel Messi-led Inter Miami unveils five-match, four-country preseason trip


Lionel Messi is getting another preseason tour with Inter Miami, this one a five-match trip that will see the reigning MLS Supporters’ Shield winners playing in four different countries as it tunes up for the 2025 season.

Announced Friday were three matches in South America and Central America. Inter Miami opens that swing with a game against Peruvian champion Club Universitario de Deportes in Lima on Jan. 29.

From there, the club goes to Panama City to take on Sporting San Miguelito on Feb. 2, followed by a trip to San Pedro Sula, Honduras, for a Feb. 8 match against Club Deportivo Olimpia.

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The first and last preseason matches were already known: Inter Miami will play Mexican power Club America in Las Vegas on Jan. 18 and close the exhibition slate in Tampa, Florida, against MLS rival Orlando City on Feb. 14.

“We’re very excited to unveil the five matches against domestic and international opponents across the Americas that will prepare us for a highly anticipated 2025,” Inter Miami president of football operations Raul Sanllehi said. “These fixtures will put us in the best possible position ahead of an unparalleled campaign with various competitions we’re playing for this year — the FIFA Club World Cup, CONCACAF Champions Cup, Leagues Cup and MLS.”

With 34 regular season MLS matches, five preseason games and the three cup tournaments, Inter Miami could easily exceed 50 matches this season — and probably will play even more than that. And that doesn’t even count international matches for Messi and likely several other Inter Miami players.

This year’s preseason tour isn’t quite as ambitious as the one Inter Miami planned last year, with matches in Dallas, El Salvador, Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong and Japan on that schedule. Much of that trip didn’t go as envisioned: A Messi vs. Cristiano Ronaldo matchup in Saudi Arabia didn’t happen because Ronaldo was sidelined by injury, and fans in Asia were angered by Messi missing one match there and playing sparingly in another. Some refunds were even issued to help appease disappointed ticket-holders, some of whom spent more than $600 with hopes of seeing Messi play.

Inter Miami’s training camp starts with physicals on Saturday. The first practice under new coach Javier Mascherano is Monday.

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Reporting by The Associated Press.

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Miami, FL

Orlando 2-4 Miami (2 Mar, 2026) Game Analysis – ESPN

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Orlando 2-4 Miami (2 Mar, 2026) Game Analysis – ESPN


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.



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Miami, FL

Rain floods Miami Beach streets, cut short Miami Heat Family Festival

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Rain floods Miami Beach streets, cut short Miami Heat Family Festival


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.



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Miami, FL

Miami youth trace Bahamian roots in powerful Black History Month journey

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Miami youth trace Bahamian roots in powerful Black History Month journey


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.



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