Saturday night at Nu Stadium had all the makings of a dream evening for Inter Miami CF. The team was poised to claim their first MLS regular-season victory at their state-of-the-art home, Lionel Messi was orchestrating magic on the pitch, and the Herons held a 2-1 lead deep into the second half.
But then came Adri Mehmeti—a 20-year-old New York Red Bulls substitute who flipped the script and silenced the Miami crowd with a dramatic equalizer in the 77th minute. What should have been a statement win for the Herons turned into another frustrating night at Nu Stadium, as Inter Miami’s home struggles continued in a 2-2 draw.
How It Unfolded — Minute by Minute
Miami entered the match with an attacking mindset, deploying a 4-4-2 formation with Lionel Messi and Germán Berterame spearheading the offense, supported by Rodrigo De Paul, Telasco Segovia, and Yannick Bright in midfield.
- 15′ — The Red Bulls struck first. Julian Hall burst down the flank, dragging two defenders with him before laying off a perfect pass to Jorge Ruvalcaba, who slotted home his first-ever MLS goal.
- 45+1′ — Miami answered just before halftime. Yannick Bright fed Rodrigo De Paul on the right wing, and the Argentine delivered a sublime cross to the back post. Mateo Silvetti was there to hammer it home with a first-time finish, leveling the score at 1-1.
- 55′ — Miami surged ahead. Lionel Messi, in trademark fashion, threaded the needle with a perfectly weighted ball to Germán Berterame, who buried his first MLS goal for Inter Miami. Daniel Pinter’s relentless pressing in the Red Bulls’ half set the stage for the breakthrough.
- 62′ — A sigh of relief for Miami. New York thought they had equalized, but the goal was ruled out, keeping the Herons ahead.
- 77′ — The heartbreak moment. Emil Forsberg delivered a free kick into the box, where Julian Hall turned brilliantly and sent a pinpoint cross to Adri Mehmeti. The young substitute calmly slotted the ball past Dayne St. Clair, silencing the Miami faithful and securing his first-ever MLS goal.
- 90+4′ — Messi nearly stole the show in stoppage time with a curling free kick, but Ethan Horvath made a brilliant save—his fifth of the night—to preserve the draw.
📊 Match Stats
| Category | Inter Miami | Red Bulls |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | 2 (Silvetti 45+1′, Berterame 55′) | 2 (Ruvalcaba 15′, Mehmeti 77′) |
| Possession | 55.2% | 44.8% |
| Shots on Goal | 7 | 2 |
| Shot Attempts | 16 | 5 |
| Corner Kicks | 12 | 3 |
| Saves | 0 | 5 (Horvath) |
| Yellow Cards | 1 | 2 |
Miami dominated statistically—more shots, more possession, more corners—but couldn’t hold onto their lead.
Where Inter Miami Stand
Despite the disappointment, Miami extended their unbeaten streak to six MLS matches and eight across all competitions. However, the inability to close games at home remains a glaring issue.
| Team | GP | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville SC | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | +11 | 16 |
| Chicago Fire FC | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | +4 | 13 |
| Inter Miami CF | 7 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | 12 |
| Red Bull New York | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | — | 11 |
The Storyline That Won’t Go Away
Inter Miami’s struggles at Nu Stadium are becoming harder to ignore. They’ve yet to secure a single MLS regular-season victory in their new home, and five draws in their six-match unbeaten run tell a story of missed opportunities.
With Lionel Messi pulling the strings, Rodrigo De Paul delivering pinpoint passes, and Germán Berterame finding his scoring boots, Miami has the tools to dominate. But against the Red Bulls, they showed once again that they’re still searching for the killer instinct that will turn draws into wins.
What’s Next?
Inter Miami doesn’t have much time to dwell on this result. Their next chance to break the Nu Stadium curse comes midweek in a crucial matchup that could define their season.
For now, the Herons remain competitive in the tight Eastern Conference race, but if they want to keep pace with Nashville and Chicago, they’ll need to find a way to turn home field into an actual advantage.
