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Lionel Messi scored and set up a goal as Inter Miami drew 2-2 with the Philadelphia Union at Subaru Park, ending a three-game losing run. The 26th-minute strike was his first since returning to action following the death of his father. Daniel Pinter scored his maiden MLS goal, and the match finished with a red card for each side.
Chester, United States: He cut inside onto his left foot, twelve yards out, and curled it into the corner. Then he pointed at the sky.
Lionel Messi had not scored since his father and long-time representative, Jorge, died earlier this month. He had missed a match to travel home to Rosario for the funeral, returned as a substitute against León, and endured a wretched night against Nashville on Saturday — ninety minutes, eleven shots, a missed penalty, two strikes against the post. On Wednesday, at the first opportunity, the ball went in.
A Fast Start Undone
Miami needed something. Three consecutive defeats in all competitions, two of them to Mexican clubs in the Leagues Cup, had followed a 4-1 loss at Nashville that ended a seven-game unbeaten MLS run stretching back to May. Rodrigo De Paul was unavailable, suspended for yellow-card accumulation.
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Philadelphia struck first through Indiana Vassilev in the 11th minute, and for a while the pattern of Miami’s recent weeks looked set to continue. It lasted ten minutes.
Messi’s cross from the left was met by Luis Suárez, whose header dropped into the path of Daniel Pinter in the middle. The academy product finished from close range for his first MLS goal — Messi’s ninth assist of the season, Suárez’s eighth.
The Goal That Mattered
Five minutes later came the moment the night will be remembered for. Messi collected possession, shifted onto his stronger foot twelve yards from goal, and bent the ball beyond the goalkeeper for 2-1.
It was his 13th league goal of a season in which he has also registered nine assists across 17 appearances, and it leaves him one behind FC Dallas striker Petar Musa in the MLS Golden Boot race. At 39, and playing through the hardest fortnight of his career, he remains the reference point for everything Miami do.
Philadelphia Level, and VAR Intervenes
The Union responded through Neil Pierre in the 58th minute to restore parity, and might have won it. Milan Iloski appeared to put the hosts ahead four minutes later, only for the goal to be reviewed and struck off with Pierre offside in the build-up.
Philadelphia’s own form made the point a respectable one for Miami. Sitting on 5-10-5 for the season, the Union have been transformed since Ryan Richter took over as interim coach, and are now unbeaten in five under him.
A Bad-Tempered Finish
Whatever composure the match had retained disappeared in stoppage time. An off-the-ball scuffle produced red cards for Miami’s Yannick Bright and Philadelphia’s Cavan Sullivan, reducing both sides to ten and ensuring the evening ended as scrappily as it had been compelling.
Where It Leaves Them
The defending MLS Cup champions stay second in the Eastern Conference on 39 points from 20 matches, seven adrift of leaders Nashville, who have 46 from the same number. The draw stops the slide without materially closing the gap.
For Messi, the significance is not in the table. He has ended the drought, resumed the Golden Boot chase, and done it in the first match where the football felt secondary. The celebration told the rest.
Score: Philadelphia Union 2 (Indiana Vassilev 11′, Neil Pierre 58′) drew with Inter Miami 2 (Daniel Pinter 21′, Lionel Messi 26′)
Red cards: Yannick Bright (Inter Miami), Cavan Sullivan (Philadelphia Union) — both in stoppage time
Venue: Subaru Park, Chester
