MIAMI: Lionel Messi marked the opening of Inter Miami´s gleaming new stadium with a goal as the Major League Soccer champions battled to a 2-2 draw against Austin FC on Saturday.
Inter Miami´s co-owner David Beckham was among the star-studded crowd as the club´s 26,000-capacity Nu Stadium made its debut, marking the end of a more-than-decade-long journey to find a permanent home.
“To see this stadium come to life, after years and years of trying to get this stadium up and running in Miami is something that´s very special,” Beckham said shortly before kick-off. “I came to America in the MLS 20 years ago and I made a lot of promises. And 13 years ago I made a lot of promises again announcing I was coming to Miami.
“Today it´s just a dream come true for us.” But while the match kicked off in celebratory fashion, with Beckham joining billionaire Inter Miami managing owner Jorge Mas in a pre-game ribbon-cutting ceremony, Austin refused to follow the script.
The Texas club, who went into the game with only one win from five matches, had stunned the home crowd after only six minutes, with Guilherme Biro nodding in a corner from Facundo Torres to make it 1-0 to the visitors.
Messi though did not take long to open his account in his new surroundings. Right-back Ian Fray burst down the flank and crossed for Messi, who equalized with a rare headed goal to make it 1-1.
Inter Miami dominated possession thereafter and carved out a string of chances, with Mateo Silvetti twice going close with a shot in the 34th minute before heading wide four minutes later.
