Boss calls form ‘alarming’ after Lionel Messi fires blank and Herons draw again at Nu Stadium

Inter Miami’s run of five draws from six matches is “worrying” and requires “inner strength”, head coach Javier Mascherano said after a 2-2 draw with New York Red Bulls ensured the MLS Cup holders have been held in both of their matches at Nu Stadium.

The Herons had hoped for their first win at their new home after salvaging a 2-2 draw against Austin last Saturday, only to fall behind to an early goal again when Jorge Ruvalcaba slotted in from Julian Hall’s cross.

Argentina Under-20 international Mateo Silvetti swept in Rodrigo De Paul’s cross to equalise during first-half added time and, after $15 million (around £11.4m) signing German Berterame struck his first goal for Miami 10 minutes after half-time following captain Lionel Messi’s run, Adri Mehmeti prodded in Hall’s cross to earn New York a point with 13 minutes remaining.

“We had expectations of these games being six points out of six, and two out of six is very little,” Mascherano rued of the first two matches at the 26,700-capacity stadium.

Analysis: Inter Miami falter again in draw with Red Bulls

Third-placed Miami are now four points behind Eastern Conference leaders Nashville, with only four teams in the section having a worse defensive record than Mascherano’s team.

They remain unbeaten in eight matches since losing their opener 3-0 at LAFC, although two of their draws ensured an immediate exit from the Champions Cup against Nashville.

“Yes, it’s worrying,” said Mascherano. “It’s alarming because we had the expectation, after the good start we had [playing all of our first six games] away from home, that getting two wins here would have strengthened us a lot.

“It would have put us at the top of the table in our conference, but this is a long season. The best example we can look at is last season, when we had to deal with different situations and we had the strength to overcome them.

“Now we have to find that inner strength again, to keep working, to be self-critical.”

German Berterame: Inter Miami striker off mark

New York would have scored their second earlier in the second half but for Cade Cowell being ruled offside after tapping in.

Berterame also had a potential winner disallowed for offside and Messi had a late free-kick turned behind by goalkeeper Ethan Horvath.

Mascherano, who defended Berterame after the draw with Austin extended his wait for his first Miami goal to eight matches, will have been relieved to have seen the striker open his account following an assist for Luis Suarez against The Verde and Black.

“We know the demands of this club better than anyone else,” said Mascherano, who restored Berterame to his starting line-up after three matches as a substitute.

“We know that here, we have to win everything we play for. We can’t dwell on this [draw], that’s the reality.

“I understand there are a lot of things to improve. Clearly, the first one who needs to improve is me because, when a team can’t find that consistency, the coach is responsible.

“There are many things we need to keep reinforcing, but the team isn’t doing too badly. We shouldn’t see everything so negatively.”

Inter Miami vs New York Red Bulls stats

• This was the 13th MLS regular-season meeting between the teams and first draw, each winning six of the previous encounters
• There have been at least three goals in nine of their 13 showdowns and at least four goals in each of the last five
• Miami had won the previous three overall, most recently coming from behind to win 5-1 away in July 2025 with the help of two goals each for Telasco Segovia and Messi, an assist by the Argentina captain, a goal and assist by Jordi Alba and a Suarez assist
• Only Dallas’ Petar Musa and Nashville’s Sam Surridge (7 each) and Vancouver’s Bryan White (6) have scored more MLS goals this season than Messi (5)
• The Red Bulls’ total of two wins, 10 points and 0.59 points per game away last season was the worst apart from Atlanta United and the LA Galaxy. Only Sporting Kansas City (12) lost more away games than New York (11)

What’s next? Inter Miami, New York Red Bulls fixtures

Miami head to the sixth-placed team in the Western Conference, Colorado, on Saturday.

The Red Bulls are seventh in the Eastern Conference and host second-tier team the Pittsburgh Riverhounds on Wednesday,

They then visit a Montreal side who have lost six and won one of their matches in this season’s MLS.