Concacaf Champions Cup 2025 LIVE: Messi Will Start as LAFC vs. Inter Miami

Lionel Messi returned to the field for Inter Miami on Wednesday night, but it was 21-year-old Nathan Ordaz who stole the spotlight. The young LAFC striker scored the only goal of the match in the 57th minute, leading Los Angeles Football Club to a 1-0 win in the first leg of their Concacaf Champions Cup 2025 quarterfinal at BMO Stadium.

Despite Messi’s presence, Inter Miami faced its first defeat of 2025, finding it difficult to penetrate LAFC’s solid defense. The two MLS teams will clash again in the second leg, with Miami aiming to recover and keep their tournament aspirations alive.

Messi failed to score and provide a highlight moment for Inter Miami, which ended the 2025 season with a nine-game winning run and a seven-game win streak.

Messi looked rusty in his second game back from a strained left adductor, missing two free kick opportunities in the first half and another in the last minute of play.

For the first time since he suffered the recurring injury strain against Atlanta United on March 16, Messi began and played the full game, despite missing shots on goal in the 79th and 86th minutes.

Messi was the main attraction, but Ordaz’s goal in the second half made all the difference. After a brief altercation with Inter Miami defender Maxi Falcón in the 27th minute, Ordaz managed to avoid being sent off in the first half and continued playing..

The second leg between the two teams is scheduled on April 9 at 8 p.m. at Inter Miami. Prior to that, they will both play Major League Soccer games this weekend: Inter Miami will host Toronto FC on Sunday Night Soccer, and LAFC will visit to Houston Dynamo on Saturday night.

However, due to another yellow card, Sergio Busquets, who is certainly the team’s greatest player behind Messi and ahead of Luis Suarez, will not play for Inter Miami in the second leg.

Inter Miami’s recent defeat marked the first loss for their rookie head coach, Javier Mascherano, who is also a former teammate of Messi at both Barcelona and the Argentine national team.

The night before facing LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and the Los Angeles Lakers, Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, and other Golden State Warriors players were seen watching Messi in action.

David Beckham, who previously played for the Los Angeles Galaxy and is now a co-owner of Inter Miami, was spotted enjoying the game near the FS1 broadcast booth.

Among the notable attendees were American music icon Lionel Richie, Mexican-American artist Becky G, reality star Kendall Jenner, former UFC champion Chuck Liddell, and Messi’s coach from the Argentine national team, Lionel Scaloni.

Concacaf Champions Cup 2025 Key Highlights-

Ordaz Puts LAFC in Front Against Messi’s Miami

LAFC’s young forward, Nathan Ordaz (21), stepped up in a big way, smashing in a right-footed shot in the 57th minute to give his team a 1-0 lead over Inter Miami. His goal, coming in front of a buzzing crowd, proved to be a turning point in this heated Concacaf Champions Cup 2025 quarterfinal clash.

Should Ordaz Have Been on the Pitch?

Ordaz’s name was already making headlines before his goal, thanks to a heated first-half altercation. The LAFC forward was lucky to stay on the field after a controversial 27th-minute incident where he appeared to slap Inter Miami’s Maxi Falcón. Instead of a red card, the referee issued a yellow— a decision that sparked outrage among Miami fans.

Messi’s Struggles in LA: Two Free Kicks, Two Misses

It wasn’t Lionel Messi’s night when it came to set pieces. The Argentine legend had two golden opportunities from free kicks—one in the 16th minute and another in the 37th—but LAFC goalkeeper Hugo Lloris was up to the challenge. The second attempt was especially frustrating, as Messi curled the ball straight into Lloris’ waiting hands.

Halftime Report: A Chess Match with No Goals

The first 45 minutes ended in a 0-0 deadlock, with Inter Miami dictating possession but unable to break through LAFC’s disciplined defense. Messi looked lively but not at his sharpest, and his missed chances left Miami fans feeling nervous. Meanwhile, LAFC squandered three solid chances of their own, setting the stage for a tense second half.

Messi’s Magic Sets Up Suarez for a Free Kick

It wasn’t all bad for Messi—he had some electrifying moments, including a dazzling dribble through midfield that saw him shake off defenders before linking up with Luis Suárez. Just as Suárez looked poised to strike, he was tripped up by Igor Jesus, setting up another free-kick opportunity.

When does tonight’s LAFC vs. Inter Miami game start?

At 8:30 p.m. local time in Los Angeles, or 11:30 p.m. ET and 12:30 a.m. Wednesday in Argentina, LAFC and Inter Miami will kick off. Los Angeles’ BMO Stadium will host the match.

How can I watch the LAFC vs. Inter Miami game live on TV?

In the US, the game will be accessible on ViX in Spanish and FS1 in English.

Is Messi going to start for Inter Miami?

Messi will start for Inter Miami in the game tonight.

Messi scores in his most recent injury return

In the second half of Inter Miami’s 2-1 victory over the Philadelphia Union on Saturday, Messi scored two minutes after entering the game off the bench.

At the time, Messi’s first game in 13 days lasted roughly 45 minutes. He had difficulty during Inter Miami’s March 16 match against Atlanta United, which led to a diagnosis of a low-grade adductor strain in his left thigh. Messi missed Argentina’s World Cup qualifying matches against Brazil on March 25 and Uruguay on March 21.

“The most important thing is that he finished the game against Philadelphia very well… After the game and everything I’ve been able to talk to him about, he was very good, happy to be able to have good feelings,” Mascherano said after the Philly game.

Inter Miami vs. LAFC Preview

Under the guidance of Mascherano, the former Barcelona and Argentine teammate of Messi, Inter Miami has enjoyed an impressive start to the 2025 season, remaining unbeaten in their first nine matches—a remarkable feat for a debut head coach.

Currently, Inter Miami is riding a seven-game winning streak, boasting eight victories and one draw across all competitions. They lead the MLS Eastern Conference with 13 points and have advanced to the Champions Cup quarterfinals after defeating Sporting Kansas City and Jamaica Cavalier FC.

On the other hand, LAFC has also reached the Champions Cup quarterfinals, having eliminated the Colorado Rapids and Columbus Crew in previous rounds. However, they come into this match struggling, with four losses in their last five outings. LAFC is positioned eighth in the MLS Western Conference, holding nine points.