Lionel Messi scored on the long-awaited opening night in his new home stadium. And Luis Suarez found a way to tie things up late in the second half.

It was good enough to salvage a point for Inter Miami.

Messi scored with a header in the 10th minute, Suarez hammered home a volley in the 82nd minute and Inter Miami escaped with a 2-2 tie against Austin FC in the defending Major League Soccer (MLS) champion’s first match at its still-under-construction stadium near Miami International Airport on Saturday night.

Inter Miami (3-1-2) is now unbeaten in its last five MLS matches, while Austin (1-2-3) has failed to win any of its last four contests.

MLS Commissioner Don Garber was at the match, lauding the work that David Beckham — who picked Miami 13 years ago — did to get to this day. Inter Miami is in its seventh MLS season, its third with Messi, but has played home matches in Fort Lauderdale until now.

Garber touted the stadium opening as the latest sign of growth for MLS.

“I think our best days are still ahead,” Garber said. “David shined a light on our league, and Leo’s taking that torch, and he’s showing it around. And we’re getting calls from players around the world.”

Messi and Suarez both got equalisers, and Inter Miami missed some chances for a potential winner in the final minutes. Maybe, the best of the lot: Mateo Silvetti’s chance in the 87th minute, when he accepted a cross from the right wing and tried to one-time the ball but sent it sailing high.

“We already know what Leo is capable of and the trouble he causes for the opposition, and even without the ball as well,” Inter Miami defender Maxi Falcon told Apple TV after the match. “And Luis, too — whenever he’s inside the box, he’s lethal, and he proved that once again.”

Suarez thought he scored in the 90th minute after a free kick from Messi, but the play was called off-side. And Messi had a chance about three minutes later from inside the box, but Brad Stuver got low for a save diving to his left to keep the game knotted at 2-2.

Published on Apr 05, 2026