Messi makes history with first goal at Inter Miami's new stadium

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/inter-miami/0AheRyBg/"]Inter Miami[/a]'s co-owner David Beckham was among the star-studded crowd as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/austin-fc-IeT6JBE3/inter-miami-0AheRyBg/?mid=YV93HnO9"]the club's 26,000-capacity Nu Stadium made its debut[/a], marking the end of a more-than-decade-long journey to find a permanent home.[/p][p][b]"To see this stadium come to life, after years and years of trying to get this stadium up and running in Miami, is something that's very special,"[/b] Beckham said shortly before kick-off.[/p][p][b]"I came to America in the MLS 20 years ago and I made a lot of promises. And 13 years ago I made a lot of promises again, announcing I was coming to Miami.[/b][/p][p][b]"Today it's just a dream come true for us."[/b][/p][p]But while the match kicked off in celebratory fashion, with Beckham joining billionaire Inter Miami managing owner Jorge Mas in a pre-game ribbon-cutting ceremony, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/austin-fc/IeT6JBE3/"]Austin[/a] refused to follow the script.[/p][p]The Texas club, who went into the game with only one win from five matches, had stunned the home crowd after only six minutes, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/guilherme-biro/6woPNf9c/"]Guilherme Biro[/a] nodding in a corner from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/torres-facundo/lhAqDO8D/"]Facundo Torres[/a] to make it 1-0 to the visitors.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/messi-lionel/vgOOdZbd/"]Messi[/a], though, did not take long to open his account in his new surroundings.[/p][embed guid="3d016a2f-ff41-4c3e-9a4b-be1a16a439a3" url="https://x.com/InterMiamiCF/status/2040586551910957086" social-type="twitter" /][p]Right-back [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fray-ian/CSNYauv4/"]Ian Fray[/a] burst down the flank and crossed for Messi, who equalised with a rare headed goal to make it 1-1.[/p][p]Inter Miami dominated possession thereafter and carved out a string of chances, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/silvetti-mateo/fii0gkZk/"]Mateo Silvetti[/a] twice going close with a shot in the 34th minute before heading wide four minutes later.[/p][p]But Austin's dogged defence and speed on the counter continued to pose problems for the hosts, and they once again took the lead after 53 minutes.[/p][p]Messi was dispossessed deep in the Austin half by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rosales-joseph/hW1VSJJd/"]Joseph Rosales[/a], who released [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/uzuni-myrto/AN4BmAif/"]Myrto Uzuni[/a], who in turn sent substitute [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/nelson-jayden/OW5w0zC1/"]Jayden Nelson[/a] clean through on goal to score.[/p][p]With Miami increasingly desperate, coach [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mascherano-javier/ns2Bmt54/"]Javier Mascherano[/a] sent on veteran striker [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/suarez-luis/dUShzrBp/"]Luis Suarez[/a] in the 73rd minute.[/p][p]The Uruguayan duly delivered eight minutes later, prodding home from close range after a Messi corner was flicked on by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/berterame-german/OEEHSm7D/"]German Berterame[/a] in the Austin defence.[/p][p]Suarez thought he had scored a dramatic winner when he finished from close range after Messi's free-kick came back off the woodwork, but was ruled out for offside.[/p]