Lionel Messi’s Impactful Return: A Night to Remember in Fort Lauderdale
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 didn’t just play; he delivered a performance that lifted Inter Miami to a 2-1 victory, propelling them to the top of Major League Soccer’s Eastern Conference.
Messi, who had been sidelined due to an adductor injury, made his presence felt almost immediately. Subbing into the match early in the second half, it took him less than two minutes to score the winning goal. 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 Messi’s return, aiming to avoid any risk of further injury. Messi had missed two World Cup qualifiers for Argentina due to his injury.
“We wanted Leo to have minutes,” Mascherano explained during a 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 in an Inter Miami game against Atlanta. Fortunately, Miami did not have any matches during the FIFA window, so the only games Messi missed were the World Cup qualifiers. During this time, Argentina, with Messi as captain, qualified for the 2026 tournament.
Messi entered the game in the 55th minute, and by the 57th minute, he had already made his mark. His goal contributions have been consistent, with at least one in all three MLS matches he has played this season. Inter Miami’s record stands at 4-0-1 in MLS play and 8-0-1 overall, including four victories in Concacaf Champions Cup matches.
The match began with Inter Miami taking the lead in the 23rd minute, thanks to a goal by Robert Taylor. Benjamin Cremaschi and Jordi Alba provided the assists for this goal. Messi replaced Taylor and quickly extended the lead to 2-0, with assists from Suarez and Fafà Picault.
Philadelphia’s Dániel Gazdag managed to score in the 80th minute, but Inter Miami held their ground to secure the win. With this victory, Inter Miami is now gearing up 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 said. “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. As the team prepares for their next challenge, fans are eagerly anticipating more magic from Messi.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
Originally Written by: ESPN
