Allende Scores Twice, Miami Ties Earthquakes 3-3/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Tadeo Allende scored twice to help Inter Miami earn a 3-3 draw against the San Jose Earthquakes in Lionel Messi’s long-awaited Bay Area MLS debut. Messi had a chance to win the match in stoppage time but was denied and received a postgame yellow card after arguing a no-call. The sellout crowd of 18,000 witnessed a thrilling six-goal contest filled with fireworks and controversy.
Bay Area Debut Drama: Quick Looks
- Tadeo Allende nets twice for Inter Miami
- Messi gets yellow card after heated postgame exchange
- Match ends 3-3 in front of 18,000 fans
- Falcon scores early for Miami, Messi assists buildup
- Earthquakes’ Arango, Leroux, and Harkes all find net
- Messi denied stoppage-time winner by goalkeeper Daniel
- Fans lined up hours early to see Messi live
- Game included goals from both teams in first 3 minutes
Deep Look: Messi’s Bay Area Debut Ends in Wild 3-3 Draw
SAN JOSE, Calif. — May 15, 2025
Inter Miami and the San Jose Earthquakes delivered one of the most electric matches of the MLS season Wednesday night, battling to a 3-3 draw at PayPal Park in Lionel Messi’s first-ever MLS game in the Bay Area.
While Messi didn’t score, the star forward still left his mark—setting up key plays, dazzling a sold-out crowd of 18,000, and earning a postgame yellow card after a controversial non-call in stoppage time.
Allende Delivers in the Spotlight
Inter Miami’s Tadeo Allende was the standout performer, scoring once in each half to keep Miami in the game. His second goal in the 52nd minute came off a beautiful buildup that began with Messi and ended with a smooth pass from Baltasar Rodríguez, which Allende calmly tapped in.
Maximiliano Falcon opened the scoring for Miami just 35 seconds into the match, heading in a perfect cross from Jordi Alba off a corner.
Back-and-Forth Action Early
San Jose struck back instantly. Cristian Arango equalized just over two minutes into the match, assisted by Cristian Espinoza, marking only the fifth time in MLS history both teams scored in the first three minutes, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
The Earthquakes briefly took the lead on a 37th-minute strike from Beau Leroux, but Allende’s first goal knotted the score again just seven minutes later.
San Jose grabbed a 3-2 lead at halftime, thanks to a left-footed rocket from Ian Harkes in stoppage time, assisted again by Leroux.
Messi’s Magic, and Frustration
Messi had several strong chances but came up just short. His best opportunity came in second-half stoppage time, when goalkeeper Daniel De Sousa Britto denied him from point-blank range.
Moments later, Messi was taken down just outside the box. No foul was called, sparking a heated exchange with the referee. The World Cup champion was shown a yellow card postgame after voicing his frustration.
Earthquakes coach Bruce Arena intervened to prevent escalation:
“He was obviously not happy… I just wanted to make sure we get him out of there and he’s ready to play the next game,” Arena said.
Messi Mania Hits the Bay
Messi’s presence turned the match into a citywide celebration. Fans lined up hours before kickoff, and the Bay Area hosted a block party Tuesday night to welcome him. Even Miami’s hotel became a hotspot, with fans hoping to catch a glimpse of the superstar waving from a balcony.
Despite the draw, the excitement surrounding Messi’s Bay Area debut proved a resounding success for MLS.
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