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Lionel Messi marked his return from injury in typical Messi-style on Saturday – scoring two goals in four minutes, assisting with another, and setting yet another Major League Soccer (MLS) record.
Making his first appearance for Inter Miami for more than three months, Messi became the fastest player in league history to record 15 goals and 15 assists, a mark he has reached in just 19 matches – 10 less than anyone else. He had a hand in all three of Miami’s goals on Saturday, leading his team to a 3-1 win over the Philadelphia Union.
Those efforts came after Miami got off to the worst possible start, conceding a goal in the opening minute of the game when Mikael Uhre rifled the ball into the net, past the outstretched fingertips of goalkeeper Drake Callender.
With Miami trailing 1-0, Messi latched onto a Luis Suárez pass inside the box and tapped the ball into the net to equalize. Just four minutes later, the Argentine had his second, bamboozling the Philadelphia defense to prod the ball into the net from an almost identical position.
Only a last gasp save from Callender prevented Philadelphia from equalizing in the 85th minute but shortly afterwards, Miami secured the win as Messi turned provider, feeding Suárez who found the corner of the net with a neat finish. That goal was Suárez’s 17th of the campaign, setting a new club record for the most goals scored in a single MLS regular season.
Afterwards, Messi – who hadn’t played since July 14 when he sustained an injury while playing for Argentina in the Copa América final – admitted that he was a “little tired.”
“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 said afterwards per TNT Sports which, like CNN, is owned by Warner Bros. Discovery.
“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.”
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