Inter Miami and Lionel Messi are still in search of their first home victory after settling for a 1-1 draw against Eastern Conference rivals New England Revolution on Saturday.
The Revolution pulled ahead in the 56th minute with a skillful close-range finish from former MLS MVP Carles Gil. Miami equalized twenty minutes later, as Mexico forward Germain Belterrame netted a rebound after Luis Suarez’s initial shot was saved by New England goalkeeper Matt Turner.
Despite the late push, Miami could not secure a win in the closing minutes, extending their winless streak at their new home to three matches, following earlier 2-2 draws with Austin FC and New York Red Bulls.
Throughout this period, Miami has excelled on the road, achieving notable victories against Colorado Rapids and Real Salt Lake under interim coach Guillermo Hoyos, who took over from Javier Mascherano on April 14.
With a record of 5-1-4, Miami currently holds second place in the Eastern Conference with 19 points, three points ahead of the Revolution, who sit at 5-3-1.
Despite the lack of wins at home, Hoyos commended his team’s effort during a demanding week of competition. He expressed pride in their performance against formidable opponents, emphasizing the importance of team effort in completing a rigorous seven-day schedule.
Messi, who has not scored or assisted in the past two matches, took a shot from the edge of the penalty area in the first half but was thwarted by Turner on two occasions. The U.S. national team goalkeeper recorded a total of nine saves, maintaining his team’s chances.
Messi’s biggest opportunity came in the 38th minute, when he managed to chase down a deflected ball. However, he stumbled as he attempted to shoot, sending the ball wide. The moment drew an incredulous smile from Messi as he looked skyward in disbelief.
Significant action unfolded just before Miami thought they had taken the lead; Tadeo Allende’s right-footed shot was disallowed due to an offside call.
Miami finally leveled the score in the 76th minute. After Suarez spun past his defender and took a shot, the ball was parried by Turner. Bertelame was in the right place at the right time, finishing the play to equalize at 1-1.
Initially struggling to find the net in his first eight appearances for Miami since joining for $15 million, Bertelame has recently been on a scoring spree, netting three goals in four games. His resurgence comes at a pivotal time as he seeks a spot on Mexico’s squad for the upcoming World Cup.
Hoyos expressed confusion over Bertelame’s exclusion from the national team, highlighting his natural goal-scoring ability and impressive performance at the club level.
Had the Revolution maintained their lead, they would have secured their first series victory since June 10, 2023, following Messi’s surprising announcement that he would join MLS. This came shortly before he made his debut for Inter Miami.
Inter Miami has historically dominated New England, outscoring them 16-5 in their past four encounters since 2023, winning each matchup.
Looking ahead, Inter Miami faces five matches before the MLS takes a seven-week hiatus for the FIFA World Cup. Against teams with varying levels of success—Orlando, Toronto, Cincinnati, Portland, and Philadelphia—all currently lack winning records, Miami may find opportunities to build momentum.
As of now, Toronto (3-3-4) is the only team positioned at .500, while the others rank lower than 12th in the conference standings.
ESPN’s Lizzy Becherano and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
