Austin FC vs Inter Miami score: 4 takeaways as Verde draw with Lionel Messi in Nu Stadium
· Yahoo Sports
It’s going to be interesting to see what Austin FC can do once it finally gets healthy.
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Playing without starting midfielders Owen Wolff and Dani Pereira for the third straight match Saturday, the Verde & Black once again produced a draw with one of the best clubs in MLS.
And though a scoreless draw at home two weeks prior against LAFC was impressive, tying Lionel Messi-led Inter Miami — who are also the defending league champions — 2-2 on the road in the opening of the club’s new stadium is Austin FC’s signature performance of 2026 so far.
Not only was Austin FC, who received goals from Guilherme Biro and Jayden Nelson, the better side for most of the match, it did so with a starting lineup that may not be repeated the rest of the league season.
Here are some key takeaways from the contest as Austin FC (1-2-3, 6 points) returns home Saturday to face the Los Angeles Galaxy.
Austin FC contained Lionel Messi
It’s not possible to stop Messi, yet Austin FC contained him about as well as a club can.
Sure, he scored a goal in the first half on a well-timed run in the box and clinical header, got off other threatening shots and burned some Verde & Black players on the dribble a few times. But he didn’t dominate the Verde & Black’s backline like has others in MLS.
“We had a plan defensively of always (having two players) against him,” Austin FC coach Nico Estévez said. “I think everyone had a great effort in that. We said it doesn’t matter who, but someone has to be there to help. … You saw (forward) Christian Ramírez doing it. … Collectively, we did an amazing job to reduce the opportunities he had.”
In particular, center backs Oleksandr Svatok and Brendan Hines-Ike and defensive midfielders Nicolas Dubersársky and Ilie Sánchez performed well. Dubersársky, who is from Argentina like Messi and looks like a completely different player than he was seven months ago, wasn’t afraid to jostle his fellow countryman.
“Other Argentines want to show something when they play against Messi,” Estévez said. “He told us earlier in the week that he wasn’t going to be afraid to tackle him.”
Austin FC's attack excelled
Austin FC was dangerous in its attack for 75 minutes.
Though he didn’t score, Myrto Uzuni was a threat up top for most of the game and seems to be playing with a newfound confidence.
Midfielders Joseph Rosales, Facundo Torres and Nelson all had good performances, and if Austin FC had better luck, it might have had four goals in the first half.
Ramírez was taken down in the box in the first minute in what appeared to be a clear penalty that wasn’t awarded, while both Uzuni and Torres had shots hit the crossbar or post.
“We’re involved in more dynamic movements from players up top,” Estévez said. “We’re understanding what we need to do to be more fluid on offense. We’re very close to what we want to be as a team.”
And while Miami’s defense was slow and sloppy at times, Austin FC has the potential to be very dangerous offensively starting in May.
Within the next four weeks, Austin FC should have Wolff, Pereira and forward Brandon Vazquez available again. (Wolff could return as soon as Saturday.)
The club’s current weakness is its bench — bringing in players like Besard Sabovic and CJ Fodrey late in the second half won’t strike much fear into other clubs — which is one of the reasons it had to survive a Miami attacking onslaught the final 15 minutes. But when Austin FC has a full, healthy roster, it’s not going to lose much when it makes second-half subs.
“When everyone is getting healthy, it’s going to be hard to pick a starting 11,” Estévez said.
David Beckham takes notice of Austin FC
Austin FC ruined Miami’s party on the opening night of Nu Stadium.
It’s something that the South Florida club’s ownership noticed.
David Beckham, who is a co-owner of the club, played for Manchester United, Real Madrid and the English national team, and whose wife is a member of the musical group the Spice Girls, stopped by the Austin FC locker room to say he was impressed with the coaching staff’s game plan.
“I think that shows the kind of class that David Beckham has,” Estévez said. “The thing you have to ask your team and your players is to feel proud about your performance. And I think we are.”
Man of the match: Myrto Uzuni
Though Biro could also receive this, Uzuni was stellar. He provided the assist on Nelson’s goal and was a constant threat. His work ethic has also caught the attention of his teammates.
“He’s a designated player making runs back, and he’s the one that's making runs that most guys don’t want to make,” Nelson said. “You don’t get that from designated players a lot of the time.”