5 reasons Messi and Inter Miami humiliated LAFC in shocking turnaround | OneFootball

It was a night that changed the script of Inter Miami in the Concacaf Champions Cup. Trailing 1-0 from the first leg and having an early goal to chase in the return game, the Herons did the impossible: they turned it around to win 3-1 against LAFC. They advanced and, for the first time, reached the final four of the tournament. Below are five key points that explain how it all happened.

1. Messi came to the fore when the team needed him most

Inter Miami CF | Leonardo Fernandez/GettyImages

There is no other way to start this. Messi was the man of the match. He scored two, assisted on a third, and led the comeback in only the way he can. In the 35th minute of the first half, with the team still three goals behind, he received the ball at the top of the box and blasted it into the corner with his left foot. That tied the game and ignited the turnaround.

Then he set up Noah Allen with the pass that turned the game around. And finally, he slotted the penalty that won the game with a calm head. The No. 10 showed that even at the tail end of his career, he still controls the rhythm and direction of any game. As Mascherano said: "He is the soul of this team. No doubt about it."

2. The squad continued to believe, despite having everything going against them

Yielding a goal within just nine minutes, at home, with a realization that three goals were necessary to get past. Most clubs implode there and then. Not Inter Miami, though. They battled through those initial 25 minutes — their coach even agreed it was struggling — but kept going. Incrementally, they began to take control, bullied up the park, and edged towards LAFC.

"We wanted to reach the semifinals, and I believe that was evident," Mascherano said after the game. "With mistakes and with good moments, in the end, we wanted it more and we got it."

That attitude was what made the difference. It wasn't talent. It was attitude. The team believed they could turn it around, and when that gets into your head, half the battle is lost.

3. The slowdown by LAFC set up the comeback

LAFC was playing well to start and even had chances early to put it away in the first half. But they failed to do that. And paid for it. Mascherano himself noted this transformation: "We knew that the game would become very difficult, but when I saw they could not solve the match in those first 20 minutes and gave us some respite, and I saw Leo score that first goal that was not taken into account, I realized that we were starting to take the initiative in the game."

The visitors settled, and Inter Miami opened up the game. That momentum shift altered the dynamics. Being up on the scoreboard with the first goal prior to halftime changed the locker room talk before the game. Miami came back out for the second half more confident than ever. What was once LAFC's control became their jitters.

4. Ustari saved the win when things could have fallen apart

Inter Miami CF v Los Angeles Football Club - CONCACAF Champions Cup 2025 | Megan Briggs/GettyImages

Messi played well up front, but Oscar Ustari made sure nothing broke down at the back. He made seven saves in total, two of them being massive ones towards the end. In the 88th minute, he saved a close-range header. Then at 91 minutes, he blocked Bouanga's fierce shot from the right side of the box.

Those saves never showed up on the scoresheet, but they were just as crucial as the goals. Without them, this story could've had a letdown ending. The Argentine goalie stayed cool and delivered when no one else could afford to miss.

5. Mascherano played it steady and showed leadership

The Herons' head coach has not had much to say in the public eye, but when he does, it is intentional. On the field, he stuck to his vision: "We've got a lot to improve, but this is the way. This is how we play soccer: by giving 100%.".

His truthfulness and clarity show he's in charge. He knows the team is its own series of highs and lows, but he also knows this specific group of players wants to play, and that is gold in a knockout round like this.

I said yesterday during the press conference that I believed this would be a night to remember, because I know these lads, I know how they feel about the game, how much they want to play, and how much they want to win," Mascherano said. "I'm thankful to them for this night to remember. Those of us on the sidelines really enjoyed what they did out there.