Lionel Messi’s Impactful Return: A Night to Remember for Inter Miami
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Saturday night was one for the books as Lionel Messi made a triumphant return to the pitch for Inter Miami. Facing off against the Philadelphia Union, Messi’s magic was on full display as he scored the decisive goal in a 2-1 victory. This win catapulted the South Florida team to the top of Major League Soccer’s Eastern Conference standings.
Messi, who had been sidelined due to an adductor injury, made his presence felt almost immediately after stepping onto the field. Subbing in early in the second half, it took him less than two minutes to find the back of the net. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner received a pass from Luis Suárez on the right side of the penalty box. With a swift move, Messi sent a right-footed shot past two Philadelphia defenders, securing a 2-0 lead for Inter Miami.
This goal marked Messi’s second in just three MLS matches this season, a testament to his enduring prowess on the field. Miami’s head coach, Javier Mascherano, had been cautious about reintroducing Messi to the lineup, especially after he missed two World Cup qualifiers for Argentina due to his injury.
“We wanted Leo to have minutes,” Mascherano explained during a post-match news conference. “The idea was to have him play for 30-35 minutes, with the added time he played more but he feels good. We didn’t want to risk him by starting him because we thought we’d run a risk in doing that. Luckily he finished well, and that makes us very happy.”
Messi’s injury woes included an issue with his left thigh, which occurred two weeks ago during an Inter Miami game against Atlanta. Fortunately, Miami’s schedule during the FIFA window meant that the only matches Messi missed were the World Cup qualifiers. During this time, Argentina, with Messi as captain, qualified for the 2026 tournament.
When Messi entered the game in the 55th minute, it was as if a spark had been ignited. By the 57th minute, he had already scored, continuing his streak of contributing at least one goal in all three MLS matches he has played this season. Inter Miami’s record now stands at 4-0-1 in MLS play and 8-0-1 overall, including four victories in Concacaf Champions Cup matches.
Inter Miami initially took the lead in the 23rd minute with a goal by Robert Taylor, assisted by Benjamin Cremaschi and Jordi Alba. Messi replaced Taylor and quickly extended the lead to 2-0, with assists from Suárez and Fafà Picault.
- Key Moments:
- Messi’s goal in the 57th minute.
- Robert Taylor’s opening goal in the 23rd minute.
- Dániel Gazdag’s goal for Philadelphia in the 80th minute.
Despite a late goal by Dániel Gazdag for Philadelphia (4-2-0) in the 80th minute, Inter Miami held firm to secure the win. Looking ahead, Inter Miami is set to face LAFC in the first leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup series on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium. Mascherano is optimistic about Messi’s participation, provided all goes well in the upcoming training sessions.
“The plan is for him to recuperate and travel to Los Angeles. Today, the time that he played, he played because he was good,” Mascherano stated. “We didn’t risk him. He wasn’t for the full 90, but it did him well to play the 45 minutes including added time and if nothing weird happens, the plan is for him to travel.”
Inter Miami’s journey to the quarterfinals included a victory over Cavalier FC in the round of 16, setting the stage for what promises to be an exciting series against LAFC.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
Originally Written by: ESPN
