Orlando City vs. Inter Miami LIVE Updates: The Florida Derby is on (0-

Despite Messi's opportunity, Inter Miami have been unable to translate their dominance into clear-cut chances, with Orlando City sitting well off St. Clair's goal and showing little attacking intent.

Lionel Messi sparked a swift counterattack, and after the Herons shifted play from left to right, De Paul delivered an accurate cross to Messi, who flicked it on with a backheel — only to be denied by a superb stop from goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau.

After an opening spell of Inter Miami dominance, Orlando have begun to settle into the match, growing more comfortable in possession — to the point where midfielder Guske drew a foul from Lionel Messi.

With no clear chances yet, Inter Miami are looking comfortable in possession, while Orlando City have struggled to string passes together, suffocated by the Herons' high pressure.

Ismail Elfath blows his whistle, and the Florida Derby is underway!

Ismail Elfath has been appointed to officiate Sunday evening's clash between Orlando City and Inter Miami. The 43-year-old American has overseen 17 Orlando City matches, compiling a record of four wins, three draws and 10 defeats, while in 11 Inter Miami games he has seen the Herons go six wins, two draws and three defeats.

This will be Elfath's third Florida Derby, and the first with Lionel Messi on the pitch. His previous two appointments ended in a 2-1 Orlando City win back in 2020 and a 0-0 draw in 2021.

Match officiating team:

Referee: Ismail Elfath.
1st Assistant Referee: Corey Parker
2nd Assistant Referee: Jeremy Kieso
4th Official: Rosendo Mendoza
VAR: Edvin Jurisevic
AVAR1: Kyle Atkins

The Florida Derby has a rich history across multiple competitions, including MLS regular season play, the U.S. Open Cup and the Leagues Cup. Across all meetings, Inter Miami hold the overall edge with eight wins, compared to six for Orlando City, while four matches have ended in a draw.

Lionel Messi has featured in four of those 18 contests, and the numbers tell a favorable story for the Argentine. He holds a record of three wins and one defeat against the Lions, a side he has found the net against six times, making Orlando one of his more productive opponents, and Sunday's clash a prime opportunity to score his first official goal of 2026.

Antoine Griezmann has become one of the hotter topics in recent days, with reports suggesting that Orlando City, who hold his discovery rights, are pushing to sign the Frenchman during the current MLS transfer window.

However, Atlético Madrid's football director Mateu Alemany moved to dismiss the rumors, closing the door on any departure during the 2025-26 season: "This is a topic that sparks a lot of journalistic speculation. Antoine has two more years left on his contract with us; he's focused on what's ahead for the club. His performances have been great."

Despite no longer being a central figure in Mascherano's plans, Luis Suárez will not be available for Inter Miami in Sunday's game against Orlando City.

The Uruguayan striker picked up a knock during Miami's training session on Friday, landing him on the injury report alongside Sergio Reguilón.

With Lionel Messi in the starting lineup, head coach Javier Mascherano has named his XI to take on Orlando City (4-2-3-1): Dayne St. Clair, Facundo Mura, Maxi Falcon, Micael Silva, Noah Allen; Rodrigo de Paul, Yannick Bright; Tadeo Allende, Lionel Messi, Telasco Segovia; German Berterame.

Head coach Oscar Pareja confirmed the eleven players that'll start the game against Inter Miami: Maxime Crépeau; Griffin Dorsey, David Brekalo, Nolan Miller, Tahir Reid-Brown; Marco Pašalić, Braian Ojeda, Colin Guske, Iván Angulo, Martín Ojeda; Duncan McGuire.

Inter Miami have announced an agreement with academy graduate Alexander Shaw on a short-term deal, making him available for today's Florida Derby.

The 17-year-old midfielder was brought along by head coach Javier Mascherano on the club's preseason tour, earning several appearances, including a start in Thursday's friendly against Independiente del Valle. With 13 games of MLS NEXT Pro experience under his belt with Inter Miami CF II, Shaw could be in line to make his MLS debut against Orlando.

Orlando City and Inter Miami's game will begin at 7:00 PM (ET).

You can watch the MLS match live on MLS Season Pass.

Welcome to our live coverage of the Florida Derby as Orlando City hosts Inter Miami for a high-stakes Matchday 2 clash in MLS. Stay with us for the most important information about both teams, and once the game kicks off, for minute-by-minute updates!