Lionel Messi made an explosive return to action on Saturday, scoring twice and adding an assist in Inter Miami’s 3-1 triumph over the Philadelphia Union in Major League Soccer (MLS). Having not featured for Inter Miami since June 1 due to an ankle injury sustained during the Copa America final, Messi’s comeback was nothing short of spectacular.
He had previously missed eight MLS matches and this month’s FIFA World Cup qualifiers for Argentina.
Despite his absence, Messi showed no signs of rustiness as he was reintroduced into the starting lineup. Philadelphia initially took the lead just 58 seconds into the match when Mikael Uhre’s powerful shot from outside the area beat goalkeeper Drake Callender.
Messi quickly responded, leveling the score in the 26th minute. He received a pass from Luis Suarez, outmaneuvered defender Kai Wagner, and scored with a right-footed shot from a play started by Jordi Alba. The fans were still celebrating Messi’s equalizer when he put Inter ahead in the 30th minute. Alba again assisted, delivering a ball that Messi converted with a left-footed strike from the center of the box into the bottom right corner.
Inter Miami thought they had a third goal before halftime, but Suarez’s effort was disallowed after a VAR review. Nevertheless, Suarez eventually found the net in injury time of the second half, with Messi providing the assist. Messi also received his first yellow card in MLS for time-wasting during this period.
The win solidified Inter Miami’s position at the top of the MLS standings with 62 points, a commanding 10-point lead over Eastern Conference rivals FC Cincinnati, with six games left in the regular season. The victory also ensured Inter Miami’s place in the MLS Cup playoffs.
Messi’s two goals on Saturday bring his total to 14 in just 13 games this season, reigniting his chase for the top scorer title. Meanwhile, Suarez has 17 goals, trailing only DC United’s Christian Benteke.
