Messi nets first goal of the year, Inter Miami held in Ecuador | OneFootball

Lionel Messi scored his first goal of the year on Saturday in a friendly match against Barcelona SC in Ecuador, which ended in a 2-2 draw. The match took place during Inter Miami's tour of Latin America, almost four months before the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.

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The Argentine captain delighted thousands of fans at the Banco Pichincha Stadium in Guayaquil, which was protected by about 700 military personnel to ensure the safety of the match in one of the most violent ports on the Pacific coast.

At 31 minutes into the first half, the 38-year-old star opened the scoring, netting his first goal of the year to the applause of the crowd, in the third stop of his regional tour, before the start of the MLS title defense.

After dribbling past his rivals Luca Sosa and Bryan Carabalí, Messi delivered a precise left-footed shot, unstoppable for the Venezuelan goalkeeper José David Contreras.

But the joy was short-lived, and ten minutes later, João Rojas equalized with a header after a corner kick.

The home team, led by Venezuelan César Farías, celebrated Barcelona's achievement. Barcelona, twice runner-up in the Copa Libertadores and one of Ecuador's most emblematic clubs, had come close.

Berterame scores his first goal

But in stoppage time, the Argentine-Mexican forward Germán Berterame, Barcelona's latest signing, opened the scoring for the Florida club thanks to a masterful assist from Messi, putting the team ahead.

The captain of the current world champions, whose participation in the World Cup is still uncertain, left the field at 57 minutes, making way for his close friend, Uruguayan forward Luis Suárez.

In the year of what would be his sixth and final World Cup, the number 10 is honing his physical form to reach his peak and defend the star that Argentina will begin to protect on June 16 against Algeria in Kansas City, USA.

At the end of the match (87′), after the expulsion of visiting midfielder David Ayala, Barcelona regained strength and equalized with a close-range goal by Tomás Martínez.

Before starting the defense of the North American league title on February 21, Inter Miami, led by Javier Mascherano, is touring Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, and Puerto Rico.

Last weekend, the Garzas defeated Atlético Nacional 2-1 in Medellín, Colombia, with Messi, Suárez, and fellow Argentine world champion Rodrigo de Paul on the field.

And in the first match of the tour, on January 24, Alianza Lima thrashed Inter 3-0 in the Peruvian capital.

* With content from AFP

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