Inter Miami’s hopes of closing the gap at the top of the Eastern Conference suffered a setback as they were beaten 2-0 by New York Red Bulls on 24 October 2026, with Lionel Messi unable to rescue his side after starting on the bench.
Inter Miami fell behind in the seventh minute when Casemiro put the ball into his own net, giving the hosts an early advantage. New York Red Bulls defended that lead despite sustained pressure from the visitors before Emil Forsberg secured the points in the 91st minute.
Forsberg finished after being set up by Cameron Harper, adding a second goal in stoppage time and ending any prospect of an Inter Miami comeback.
The visitors struggled to build attacks from the back, with a series of mistakes allowing New York Red Bulls to create repeated chances. Inter Miami goalkeeper Dane St. Clair helped keep the score down with several important saves, including stops to deny Ronald Donkor, Mexico forward Jorge Rovalcaba and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting.
Messi was introduced in the 56th minute, replacing Riquelme Felipe, as Inter Miami attempted to change the course of the match. The Argentine had an immediate influence on his team’s attacking play, but the visitors were unable to convert their opportunities.
Their best chance to equalise came in the 84th minute. Ethan Horvath saved Santiago Morales’ effort, while Telasco Segovia then struck the crossbar with a shot that would have brought Inter Miami level.
That missed opportunity proved costly. New York Red Bulls responded with the decisive goal moments later, as Forsberg completed the scoring and confirmed a home victory.
Despite the defeat, Inter Miami remain second in the Eastern Conference on 55 points. They are 15 points behind Nashville, who have secured the Supporters’ Shield with three regular-season matches still to play.
The Supporters’ Shield is awarded to the team with the best record in the regular season. Nashville reached 70 points after beating Montreal 2-0, a result that mathematically confirmed the first Supporters’ Shield in the club’s history, according to Mundo Deportivo.
Inter Miami now face the task of recovering from their latest loss while trying to protect their position near the top of the Eastern Conference.
