Major League Soccer: Messi Returns As Inter Miami Defeats Philadelphia Union

Lionel Messi made a stunning return from injury on Saturday, finding the back of the net twice within just four minutes and providing an assist in Inter Miami’s 3-1 victory over the Philadelphia Union in Major League Soccer.

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner hadn’t played since injuring his right ankle during the Copa America final on July 14th, when he helped Argentina to victory over Colombia.

Since then, he has been absent for eight MLS matches with his club and missed this month’s World Cup qualifiers for his team.

Messi hadn’t played for Inter since June 1st, but he didn’t miss a beat as he was inserted into the starting lineup.

“The truth is that I’m a little tired,” he said after the match. “The heat and humidity in Miami don’t help much either, but I wanted to come back, I had been off of the field for a long time.

“Little by little, I was training with the group, feeling good, and that’s why we decided that I would start, and I’m very happy very happy.”

Miami coach Gerardo Martino was delighted to see his star come out “feeling good” after 90 minutes.

In the second minute, Philadelphia took the lead with a left-foot strike from Mikaelhre from outside the area.

Messi grabbed the equalizer in the 26th minute, collecting a pass from Luis Suarez and beating defender Kai Wagner before unleashing a right-footed shot to cap a sequence launched by Jordi Alba on the left.

Ecstatic fans were still celebrating when he fired Inter ahead in the 30th, connecting again with Alba and firing a left-footed shot from the center of the area into the bottom right corner.

Inter thought Luis Suarez had made it 3-1 before half-time, but his goal was overturned on a VAR review.

However, Suarez scored a goal deep into second-half injury time, with Messi, who received his first yellow card in MLS for delaying a corner kick, providing the assist.

Martino said the late goal vindicated his decision to leave both players in the game until the end, saying, “Both played the whole game because they were fine to finish the game.”

The victory extended Inter Miami’s lead at the top of the MLS standings to 62 points, 10 points clear of their closest Eastern Conference challengers, FC Cincinnati, with six games remaining in the regular season.

Messi is pleased that, despite his extended absence, they are currently at the top of the race for the Supporters’ Shield, which is awarded to the team in the overall standings.

Deserved first place

“During the year, we were very unlucky with injuries; we were never at full strength,” he said. “For one reason or another, we were always missing players, and the group always came through.

“Today we are in first place with a big difference and deservedly so, and hopefully we can finish on top for what it means and what comes after that.”

Messi’s two goals, taking him to 15 in just 13 games, put him back in contention for the title of top scorer.

Suarez, meanwhile, has 17 goals and is two behind the current MLS scoring leader, DC United’s Christian Benteke.

Messi in his second season in the United States, is the fastest player to notch his first 15 goals and 15 assists in MLS, in just 19 games.