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Legendary soccer star Lionel Messi was the main attraction in Los Angeles late Wednesday night, but it was an up-and-coming striker who stole the spotlight and handed Inter Miami its first defeat of 2025.
Los Angeles FC’s Nathan Ordaz, a 21-year-old homegrown talent, scored a goal in the 57th minute to help LAFC beat Messi and Inter Miami in the first leg of their Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinal on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium.
Messi was unable to score and deliver a highlight moment for Inter Miami, which saw a seven-game win streak — and a nine-match unbeaten streak to begin the 2025 season — end.
Messi missed two free kick opportunities in the first half and another in the final minute of the match, appearing to show some rust in his second game back from a strained left adductor. He started and played the entire game for the first time since he sustained the recurring injury strain against Atlanta United on March 16.
Messi also missed shots toward the net in the 79th and 86th minutes, facing a familiar foe in LAFC’s Hugo Lloris — the French goalie on the losing end to Argentina in the 2022 World Cup final in Qatar.
While Messi was the star attraction, Ordaz proved to be main difference with his second-half goal. Ordaz remained in the game after avoiding a red card in the first half following a brief kerfuffle with Inter Miami defender Maxi Falcón in the 27th minute.
“It’s a red card here, in China and on the moon,” said first-year Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano, Messi’s former teammate with Barcelona and Argentina, after losing for the first time in his career after 10 games.
Both teams will meet again in the second leg at Inter Miami on April 9 at 8 p.m. ET. They’ll both play MLS games this weekend before then: LAFC will visit the Houston Dynamo on Saturday night and Inter Miami will host Toronto FC on “Sunday Night Soccer.”
However in the second leg, Inter Miami will be without Sergio Busquets — arguably the club’s best player after Messi and ahead of Luis Suarez — after the midfielder picked up another yellow card.
“Obviously, we didn’t have the best night. But in the end, it’s the first leg. We have the next game next week,” Mascherano said. “We will see. I believe we can do the right things to reach the semifinal.”
Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler and other members of the Golden State Warriors watched Messi play, one night before visiting LeBron James, Luka Doncic and the Los Angeles Lakers.
David Beckham, who starred for the Los Angeles Galaxy before co-owning Inter Miami, watched the match sitting close to the FS1 broadcast booth.
American music legend Lionel Richie, Mexican-American singer Becky G, reality TV star Kendall Jenner, former UFC champion Chuck Liddell and Messi’s Argentine national team coach Lionel Scaloni were also among those in attendance.
LAFC’s Nathan Ordaz scores goal: LAFC 1, Inter Miami 0 LAFC forward Nathan Ordaz, 21, scored a right boot in the 57th minute to help his side take a 1-0 lead against Messi and Inter Miami.
Ordaz’s goal comes with some controversy: He avoided a red card and remained in the game after a kerfuffle with an Inter Miami player in the first half.
Halftime recap: Inter Miami 0, LAFC 0 Lionel Messi appears fit and spry, but not as sharp as he’d like to be after missing two free kicks during a scoreless first half between Inter Miami and LAFC in the first leg of their Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinal. Inter Miami has controlled possession for the most part in the match, while LAFC has also missed out on three opportunities before halftime.
A turning point in the first half: LAFC forward Nathan Ordaz was issued a yellow card, not a red card, after appearing to slap Inter Miami defender Maxi Falcón in the 27th minute. LAFC avoided an ejection and playing with just 10 players for the rest of the match.
Messi misses second free kick in 37th minute: Inter Miami 0, LAFC 0 Two free kicks, and two misses by Messi in Los Angeles. Messi’s kick in the 37th minute was lofted into the hands of LAFC goalie Hugo Lloris for his first save of the game. Messi was tripped by LAFC defender Eddie Segura to create the opportunity.
Lionel Messi misses free kick in 16th minute: Inter Miami 0, LAFC 0 Lionel Messi was unable to score on a free kick in the 17th minute for Inter Miami against LAFC goalie Hugo Lloris. It’s the first time Lloris (France) is defending against Messi since the 2022 World Cup final in Qatar.
Messi dribbles his way to free kick: Highlight Check out this highlight dribble up the pitch by Messi, which ended with Inter Miami’s Luis Suarez being tripped up by LAFC defender Igor Jesus to create the free-kick opportunity.
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