Inter Miami Held Again as Red Bulls Teen Strikes Late
Quick Reads
- Inter Miami drew 2-2 with New York Red Bulls at Nu Stadium on Saturday, remaining without a win at their new home after two matches.
- Germán Berterame finally opened his Inter Miami account in the 55th minute, with Lionel Messi picking up the assist on his 10th appearance for the club.
- Mateo Silvetti’s first-half equalizer and Berterame’s go-ahead goal were cancelled out by Jorge Ruvalcaba and 17-year-old Adri Mehmeti for the Red Bulls.
- Julian Hall, 18, was central to both Red Bulls goals, terrorising Miami’s centre-back pairing throughout the contest.
- Messi had a stoppage-time free kick saved by Ethan Horvath, and Inter Miami are now winless in two home games at Nu Stadium.
Inter Miami dropped more points at their new home on Saturday, drawing 2-2 with New York Red Bulls at Nu Stadium in an MLS contest that had everything, missed sitters, a goal off the bench, defensive chaos, and a 17-year-old with the nerve to steal a draw from the defending champions.
Germán Berterame broke his Inter Miami duck in the 55th minute, finishing from close range after Lionel Messi’s run pulled defenders out of shape, but it was not enough. Adri Mehmeti came off the bench to level in the 77th minute, punishing Miami’s defensive lapses for the second time on the night. Messi’s free kick in the 94th minute, struck from 25 yards, was pushed away by Ethan Horvath to deny the Herons a winner at the death. The result leaves Inter Miami without a victory in two outings at Nu Stadium, having also drawn 2-2 against Austin FC the previous week.
Javier Mascherano set his side up in a 4-4-1-1, with Rodrigo De Paul pushed to the right and Messi operating just behind Berterame. The plan started to unravel in the 15th minute. Julian Hall, the 18-year-old Red Bulls midfielder, charged down the right and exploited the central defensive pairing of Micael and Maxi Falcón, whose positioning broke down at the critical moment. Hall’s cutback gave Jorge Ruvalcaba a simple finish for 1-0.
Miami responded well before the interval. Telasco Segovia’s pressing work earned possession high up the pitch, and a seven-pass move ended with De Paul looping a cross to the back post, where Silvetti slid in to make it 1-1 right on halftime.
The second half began with Messi threatening, a sharp turn past a defender produced a shot that went just wide, before Berterame finally got his moment. Messi carried the ball toward the box, drew multiple defenders, and the ball broke loose perfectly for the Mexican striker, who pivoted and finished first time for 2-1. It was his first goal in 10 appearances since arriving in a reported $15 million transfer.
“I try not to get too involved with social media, I try to avoid using it precisely for that reason, to steer clear of negativity,” Berterame said after the match. “I try not to focus on that stuff; instead, I focus on working hard and maintaining the patience required of a forward. The goal is bound to come eventually, just like it did today, and now that the goal is open, I hope they just keep coming.”
The lead lasted 22 minutes. Hall found space again on the right, drove a cross into the box, and Mehmeti aged just 17, tapped in his first senior career goal to make it 2-2. A New York goal moments earlier had been ruled out by a VAR offside review, but they were not to be denied a second time.
Mascherano was candid in his assessment after the final whistle. “I believe that today the team deserved much more than what we got, that is the reality,” he said. “We paid a very high price for some mistakes we made, which is normal in football, but the team did everything it could to win the match.”
By the Numbers
Inter Miami record (MLS 2026): 3 wins, 1 loss, 3 draws, unbeaten in their last six league matches. Red Bulls record: 3 wins, 2 losses, 2 draws. Berterame’s goal came in his 10th appearance for the club, ending a wait that had put the striker under early scrutiny. Ethan Horvath made five saves for New York, with key stops against Messi and Luis Suárez, the latter coming in the 90th minute after the Uruguayan came on as a substitute. Miami sit third in the Eastern Conference, one point ahead of the Red Bulls. Their next home fixture is not until April 25, when they welcome the New England Revolution to Nu Stadium. Before then, they travel to face Colorado Rapids on April 18 at Empower Field at Mile High, which holds over 60,000 supporters.
The defensive questions remain real. Miami gave up two goals to teenage talents in a single game, and the central defensive pairing of Falcón and Micael was unable to contain Hall’s pace and directness on either occasion. Until those problems are resolved, results at home and away will continue to feel like a lottery, even with Messi on the pitch.
