Messi scores a stunner as Inter Miami draw at Philadelphia in MLS | OneFootball

Without meaning to compare, surely none of the previous 921 goals in Lionel Messi’s spectacular career had the emotional weight of the one he scored on Wednesday night wearing the Inter Miami shirt. Not because it made it 2-1 at the time in a comeback against Philadelphia Union — which eventually equalized 2-2 in the second half — but because it was the first dedicated to the memory of his father Jorge.

For the first time, and in his third match after that sad Saturday, August 8, in Rosario, when he raised his arms with both index fingers pointing to the sky, there were two reasons: his grandmother Celia Olivera de Cuccittini, who used to take him to play at Abanderado Grandoli on those afternoons, and his friend, agent, and father, who died at 68 after battling an illness.

Messi, who had already been involved in the move that led to the young Pinter’s equalizer with a precise cross for Luis Suárez to nod down, received the ball in the box in the 26th minute of the first half with space on the right side, one of his favorite areas. He squared up his marker and cut inside, waiting for an opening, which came on his second left-foot touch and led to a curling shot that left the opposing goalkeeper with no answer. A brilliant goal.

In his celebration, he did nothing out of the ordinary. He accepted his teammates’ congratulations and even took it upon himself to give precise instructions about what was happening on the field.

It took the 39-year-old from Rosario a while to get into the game: he did not touch the ball for the first time until the ninth minute. He always tried to be the focal point of his team’s attack and to stay sharp and well positioned for the counterattack.

He had more chances to score, both from free kicks. They came from a similar spot, about 20 meters from goal just behind the D, one in each half. On both occasions, on a pitch that was in pretty poor condition, his shot struck the wall.

Neil Pierre equalized in the 58th minute and, if not for the VAR intervention to disallow the goal for a marginal offside, Inter Miami would have lost. With the draw, they remain behind Nashville (whom they beat 4-1 last Saturday) in the Eastern Conference standings, though now by seven points, as they moved above the New York Red Bulls. Philadelphia was the only MLS team that had won all four matches after the 2026 World Cup.

Right at the end, the referee sent off Yannick Bright of Inter Miami and Cavan Sullivan of Philadelphia after they clashed with shoves and punches.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.