Messi Scores 899th Career Goal as Inter Miami Defeats D.C. United 2-1

Baltimore, MD – Lionel Messi continued his remarkable career with his 899th goal, leading Inter Miami to a 2-1 victory over D.C. United on Saturday, March 7, 2026. The match, played at M&T Bank Stadium, home of the Baltimore Ravens, drew a crowd of 72,026 – a new attendance record for D.C. United.

Messi Reaches Milestone in Front of Record Crowd

The significant attendance figure underscores Messi’s enduring appeal, prompting the game to be moved from D.C. United’s smaller venue in Washington to the larger stadium in Baltimore. Messi set Inter Miami ahead 2-0 in the first half, scoring his fourth goal of the young MLS season. He received a pass from Mateo Silvetti, flicking the ball past D.C. United goalkeeper Sean Johnson with a single touch.

Match Recap

Rodrigo De Paul opened the scoring for Inter Miami in the 17th minute, followed by Messi’s goal in the 27th minute. D.C. United responded in the 75th minute with a goal from Tai Baribo, but were unable to find the equalizer. The final score was 2-1 in favor of Inter Miami.

Team Performance and Upcoming Challenges

Inter Miami (2-1-0, 6 points) has won two consecutive games after a season-opening loss. D.C. United (1-2-0, 3 points) will look to rebound from the defeat. Inter Miami goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair noted the strong support for his team even in an away game, stating, “It’s definitely nice to be able to go to away stadiums and know that you probably have more supporters than the actual home team.”

Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano emphasized the team’s commitment to competing in all competitions this season, including the Concacaf Champions Cup. He acknowledged the need for player rotation to manage fatigue, especially with a busy schedule of games every three or four days. ESPN

Next Match for Inter Miami

Messi and Inter Miami will next face Nashville on Wednesday for their first game in the Concacaf Champions Cup, where Messi aims to become the second men’s player in history, alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, to reach 900 career goals. World Soccer Talk

Historic Attendance for D.C. United

The match against Inter Miami drew the largest crowd in D.C. United history, surpassing the previous record of 57,431 fans set during their 1997 MLS Cup triumph. MLS Soccer