The crowd at Bank of America Stadium came buzzing with anticipation, hoping to witness Lionel Messi’s historic 900th career goal. Instead, they found themselves swept up in a different kind of drama as Charlotte FC and Inter Miami CF battled to a gritty 0-0 draw on March 14, 2026, in front of 34,780 fans. The night, which many expected to be all about Messi, ended up shining a spotlight on goalkeeping heroics, tactical maneuvering, and a late-match ejection that left everyone talking.
Messi, sitting tantalizingly at 899 goals for club and country, was notably absent from the Miami squad. Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano, along with his coaching staff, made the decision to rest both Messi and fellow Argentine Rodrigo De Paul. The move came after both players featured for the full 90 minutes in a scoreless Concacaf Champions Cup showdown against Nashville SC just three days earlier. As assistant coach Javier Morales explained, “These are decisions we have to make as a coaching staff. We’ve been playing a lot of games on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and we have a very important home game coming up. Javier and the coaching staff thought this was the best course of action.”
With Messi and De Paul watching from afar, veteran Uruguayan striker Luis Suárez donned the captain’s armband and made his first start of the 2026 MLS season. The Miami lineup also featured a blend of experience and youth, with Mateo Silvetti, Dániel Pintér, and Santiago Morales leading the line ahead of midfielders David Ayala and David Ruiz. On the backline, Sergio Reguilón made his first career start alongside Noah Allen, Gonzalo Luján, and Ian Fray, with Rocco Ríos Novo between the posts.
Charlotte FC, meanwhile, fielded a squad eager to make a statement against the reigning MLS Cup champions. But it was their Croatian shot-stopper, Kristijan Kahlina, who stole the show. The 2024 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year delivered a masterclass, making two critical saves that kept Miami at bay and had the home crowd chanting his name. In the 34th minute, Kahlina produced a one-handed diving save to deny a powerful header from Ian Fray—a chance carrying a 14% expected goal value—and sent the stadium into raptures. Later, in the 79th minute, he was called upon again to stop a close-range header from Germán Berterame, preserving the deadlock.
Charlotte’s best opportunity came in the 63rd minute when Wilfried Zaha unleashed a fierce shot from the center of the box off a free kick. With a 32% expected goal value, Zaha’s effort looked destined for the net, but Ríos Novo was equal to the task, diving low to keep the score level. Ashley Westwood and Liel Abada also came close for Charlotte in the first half, but each chance slipped just wide or was thwarted by Miami’s defense.
The match was anything but tame. Early on, Charlotte’s Nathan Byrne and Miami’s Mateo Silvetti collided head-on, prompting both players to undergo concussion protocols before returning to the pitch around the ninth minute. The first half featured 15 fouls and three yellow cards, setting the tone for a physical contest. In the 89th minute, Charlotte’s Kerwin Vargas appeared to be fouled in the box, but the referee waved play on and awarded only a corner kick. Charlotte manager Dean Smith didn’t hide his frustration, stating, “It’s either a goal kick or a penalty because the lad hasn’t touched the ball at all. (Video assistant referee) made a mistake by not sending the referee to the monitor.”
Inter Miami, for their part, struggled to find rhythm without their talismanic captain. The squad rotated heavily, with Berterame, Tadeo Allende, and Telasco Segovia coming on late in the second half. Despite flashes of promise, Miami’s best chances were snuffed out by Kahlina and a resolute Charlotte defense. David Ruiz saw a right-footed effort sail wide, and Berterame’s late header failed to break the deadlock.
The tension reached its peak in stoppage time when Mascherano, animated and vocal on the sideline, was ejected after receiving two yellow cards in quick succession for arguing with the referee. Morales, handling media duties post-match, offered his take: “I think there was a misunderstanding. Masche was talking to one of the players. He was a little bit outside the box. But the referee didn’t like it. He was, in my opinion, a little sensitive. Javier had a lot of energy on the sideline and unfortunately got the red card.” The ejection means Mascherano will be suspended for Miami’s next MLS fixture against New York City FC on March 22.
For Charlotte, the result was hard-fought and, in the eyes of their manager, well-earned. “I thought we were average,” Smith admitted, “but Kahlina’s two big stops were the difference between a point and nothing.” Smith also pushed back on any notion that the draw was a missed opportunity, reminding reporters, “They’re still the (defending) MLS champions. It’s some squad.”
As for Inter Miami, the draw leaves them with seven points from four matches to begin the 2026 campaign—a solid, if unspectacular, start for the defending champions. The club remains focused on the upcoming Concacaf Champions Cup second leg against Nashville SC, where Messi could finally notch his milestone 900th goal. Mascherano, who has insisted that the team treats all competitions equally, previously commented, “We’re not a team that chooses which competitions to play in; we’re obligated to compete in all of them. Clearly, the Champions League is the only competition the club normally plays in that we’re missing, and it’s generating a lot of excitement for all of us. Now, what we can’t allow is for this to become an obsession. It’s one thing to be excited, another to be obsessed.”
For the fans in Charlotte, the night may not have delivered Messi magic, but it offered a reminder of soccer’s unpredictable theater—where a goalkeeper’s heroics, a coach’s passion, and a stadium’s roar can steal the show. Both teams now turn their attention to what’s next: Miami’s continental ambitions and Charlotte’s quest for MLS consistency. The 0-0 scoreline might not make headlines for fireworks, but the story behind it certainly will linger until the next whistle blows.