Live updates: No Messi magic as Charlotte FC beats Inter Miami

The Charlotte Observer has five journalists in Bank of America Stadium who will be passing along live updates from today’s match featuring the playoff-hungry Charlotte FC and the Lionel Messi-led Inter Miami. See the latest information below. Refresh this page as needed.

Live updates from Charlotte FC vs. Inter Miami game

FINAL: Charlotte FC 1 (Vargas 13’), Inter Miami 0

Second half

90th minute: Game of inches! Two promising Inter Miami chances, tagged with back-to-back game-tying corner opportunities, are swatted away by Charlotte FC goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina. And that’ll do it! Charlotte FC wins at home.

And the club made history, too, thanks to other teams in the league earning results that were favorable to Charlotte FC: The Queen City side is now playoff-bound for the first time in the team’s two-season history.

62nd minute: Two Messi free kicks in the past 10 minutes, as Messi has been far more active in the second half. One from a difficult angle nearly went in, as Charlotte FC goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina had to deflect it into the crossbar and out. The second was blocked by the wall of Charlotte FC defenders.

48th minute: Messi goal ... but offside is called! The left-footed phenom snuck behind the Charlotte FC back line and received a pass and then finished off an easy chip shot of a goal before beginning to celebrate what he thought was an equalizer. Then came the ruling. Charlotte still leads, 1-0.

46th minute: The ball is in play once more!

First half

45th minute: Charlotte FC enters the halftime break up, 1-0. The Queen City side will know its playoff fate in about an hour. Charlotte FC entered Saturday night needing a win and two of the following three teams — Chicago Fire, New York Red Bulls and CF Montreal — to not win (so lose or draw). So far? Everything is looking good. Chicago Fire is tied with NYCFC at half. Montreal is tied with Columbus Crew at half. And RBNY is tied with Nashville at half.

37th minute: So far, not only has Lionel Messi not taken a shot, but the entire Inter Miami team has zero shots between them. Charlotte FC has had the better opportunities for the entire first half so far, leading on the scoreboard 1-0 and in shots taken, 4-0.

13th minute: Take a bow, Kerwin Vargas. Better yet: Do a backflip. Vargas takes a turf-screeching cross from Kamil Jozwiak, takes a dribble and files a left-footed shot into the net. What a start for Charlotte FC — which needs a win and some help from other Eastern Conference foes — to earn the team’s first playoff berth.

2nd minute: A promising Inter Miami opportunity actually finds the back of the net via the foot of Leo Campana ... but the play is blown dead. Diego Gomez, who made the pass to Campana, is ruled offside. Close call. In other news: Ashley Westwood did his Carolina Panthers impression and took down an Inter Miami player near midfield to earn a yellow card — the first discipline of the game.

6:09 p.m.: Game time!

5:35 p.m.: To those anxious about how much they’ll see the great Lionel Messi — feel free to breathe a sigh of relief. The left-footed midfielder is in Inter Miami’s starting lineup and will be wearing the captain’s armband for tonight’s match, which is still set to kick off just after 6 p.m. Messi emerged on the field for pregame training to a crescendo of cheers from fans, many of whom are wearing pink No. 10 jerseys. The Messi buzz, indeed, is palpable.

Here’s a look at the Starting XI for each side:

5:10 p.m.: Lionel Messi and Inter Miami will make their way to Charlotte on Saturday evening for the regular-season finale against Charlotte FC. For the home team, a first MLS playoff appearance is on the line in front of a packed stadium.

The team has sold upward of 60,000 tickets, per a team spokesperson, and that includes seating in the upper bowl of Bank of America Stadium, which is closed for most matches. Like every MLS home match, you can watch Saturday evening’s contest live on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. In order to do this, you must subscribe to MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app — which will give you access to every game of the MLS Cup Playoffs, too. Season Ticket Members have access to this already.

You can also meet up with friends and watch it at bars showing the game. Click here for a full 2023 Bar Network, a list provided by the team.

What’s at stake? Inter Miami is out of the playoff chase. Charlotte FC, however, must win and get some help to make the MLS playoff field. The two teams played Wednesday in Miami (without Messi), and tied 2-2.

This story was originally published October 21, 2023 at 5:08 PM.