Lionel Messi marked his triumphant return from injury in typical Messi-style, scoring two goals within four minutes, assisting another, and etching his name into the Major League Soccer (MLS) record books, CNN reports.
In his first appearance for Inter Miami in over three months, Messi became the fastest player in league history to achieve 15 goals and 15 assists, a feat accomplished in just 19 matches – a remarkable 10 less than any other player. He played a pivotal role in all three of Miami’s goals, leading his team to a resounding 3-1 victory over the Philadelphia Union.
The match began with a jarring setback for Miami as Mikael Uhre rifled a goal past goalkeeper Drake Callender within the opening minute. However, Messi’s return ignited the team. He capitalized on a Luis Suárez pass inside the box to equalize, followed by a stunning second goal just four minutes later, leaving the Philadelphia defense bewildered.
Despite a valiant effort from Philadelphia, a last-minute save by Callender prevented their equalizer in the 85th minute. But shortly after, Messi turned provider, setting up Suárez for a well-placed goal that sealed the win. This marked Suárez’s 17th goal of the season, establishing a new club record for most goals scored in a single MLS regular season.
After the match, Messi, who had been sidelined since July 14th due to an injury sustained while playing for Argentina in the Copa América final, acknowledged a slight fatigue but expressed his joy at being back on the field.
“The heat and humidity in Miami don’t help much either, but I really wanted to come back, I had been off the field for a long time,” he stated, according to TNT Sports. “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.”
