Lionel Messi returned from injury with two goals and an assist in Inter Miami's 3-1 win against Philadelphia Union. After missing several matches, Messi played the full 90 minutes and showcased his skills, helping his team maintain the lead in the MLS Eastern Conference standings.
Lionel Messi made a sensational return to the pitch, scoring two goals and providing an assist in Inter Miami's 3-1 victory over Philadelphia Union. The Argentine forward had been sidelined since injuring his ankle in the Copa America final in July, which resulted in him missing multiple World Cup qualifiers and eight MLS matches. Despite this, Inter Miami has remained at the top of the MLS Eastern Conference standings.
In his first start for the team in three months, Messi played a pivotal role throughout the match, showcasing his trademark skills. The game began unexpectedly with Philadelphia's Mikael Uhre scoring just 58 seconds in, giving the Union an early lead. However, Messi quickly equalized in the 26th minute by expertly dribbling past a defender and striking home a powerful shot after receiving a pass from Luis Suarez, with assistance from fellow former Barcelona teammate Jordi Alba.
Just four minutes later, Messi scored again, converting another assist from Alba. He capped off his impressive performance by setting up Suarez for Miami's third goal deep into injury time. After the match, Messi admitted he was “a little tired” but expressed his excitement about returning to action, stating, “I wanted to come back... I'm very happy.” With this performance, Messi now boasts 14 goals in 13 games this season, solidifying his impact in Major League Soccer. Meanwhile, LA Galaxy also made headlines by overcoming LAFC in a thrilling 4-2 comeback win in their rivalry match.
