After missing Inter Miami’s last two matches with a leg muscle injury, Lionel Messi returned to MLS action on Saturday night and immediately made the difference. Coming on as a halftime substitute, the Argentine World Cup winner scored the decisive goal with six minutes left and added an assist in Miami’s 3-1 victory over defending MLS Cup champions LA Galaxy.
Jordi Alba had given the Herons a first-half lead, but Joseph Paintsil equalized for the visitors shortly after the break. Messi, who replaced Telasco Segovia at halftime, took time to find his rhythm before producing the moment his fans eagerly awaited.
Receiving the ball about 40 yards from goal after a sequence involving Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul, Messi burst past a defender, weaved through several more, and fired a clinical left-footed strike into the bottom corner of Novak Micovic’s net. The goal was Messi’s MLS-leading 19th of the regular season, putting him one ahead of Nashville SC’s Sam Surridge.
Messi then turned provider in stoppage time, setting up Suarez for Miami’s third to seal the win in front of an ecstatic crowd at Chase Stadium.
