Messi scores twice on return to Inter Miami

Lionel Messi returned to the field last Saturday (14), the Argentine had not played for two months when he suffered an ankle injury in the Copa América final in July. On his return to Inter Miami, the number ten scored twice and also provided the assist for Luis Suárez's goal in the 3-1 victory over the Philadelphia Union.

Messi and Suárez's team is the leader of Major League Soccer with 62 points, eleven ahead of Cincinnati, second in the Eastern Conference, and has already qualified for the playoff phase of the competition.

In MLS, the top seven teams in each conference qualify directly for the playoffs, with 8th and 9th playing a qualifying round for the knockout stage.

The match

At home, Inter Miami conceded a goal early in the match. Mikael Uhre dribbled past defender David Martinez and scored from outside the box to open the scoring for the visitors in the first minute of the game. Philadelphia Union continued to play better and had a number of opportunities to extend their lead, with Quinn Sullivan and Tai Baribo missing good chances in front of goalkeeper Callender.

_{Messi celebrates Inter Miami's second goal with Jordi Alba (Photo: reproduction/Instagram/@leomessi)}

At 25 minutes, Suárez passed to Messi at the edge of the area, the Argentine beat his marker and finished with his right foot into the corner of the goal to equalize. The home team's comeback came in the first half, five minutes after the equalizer, when Jordi Alba crossed low and Messi finished first time to put Inter Miami ahead. In the first half's injury time, Suárez scored, but what would have been Inter's third goal was disallowed by VAR.

Second half

The visiting team returned for the second half ready to make life difficult for the home team. With greater possession of the ball, Philadelphia tried to reach Callender's goal, but without much danger.

At the end of the second half, in the 52nd minute, Messi found Luis Suárez at the edge of the area, the Uruguayan took it first time and shot into the corner, right past the goalkeeper, to close the score.

Featured photo: Lionel Messi celebrates goal with teammates (Reproduction/Instagram/@leomessi)