CHESTER, Pa. — Lionel Messi obtained an increase out of the group when he scored on a free kick late within the second half to tug Inter Miami inside one and Telasco Segovia tied the sport within the last minutes, serving to Inter Miami rally from a two-goal deficit to tie the Philadelphia Union 3-3 on Saturday evening.
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Messi, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner and 2022 World Cup champion, scored an important purpose in his first sport since he challenged Inter Miami throughout a uncommon tv interview to stay collectively after a loss in opposition to Orlando.
They caught collectively down the stretch to stun the Union.
Messi lastly solved 19-year-old Union goalie Andrew Rick late in entrance of a packed home that got here to observe one in all soccer’s greats — and in addition to root on a Union staff that got here minutes away from its eleventh win of the season.
Quinn Sullivan scored the primary purpose and Tai Baribo added two extra for the Union. Tadeo Allende scored within the second half to make it 2-1 Inter Miami.
Messi buried a free kick late within the sport that made it 3-2 and appeared prefer it might spark Inter Miami out of its funk. Segovia took care of the remaining.
Messi introduced out his share of followers in his second profession MLS go to to Subaru Park, although the Messi Mania from his 2023 go to was tamped all the way down to Messi Mildness this time. The pregame scene outdoors the stadium noticed followers in each beer, scorching canine, lavatory line, in Messi jerseys and T-shirts, able to root on the World Cup champion from Argentina.
Not like his first go to, when tickets soared previous $1,000 on the secondary market and season-ticket holders gleefully offered their tickets to generate income, good seats Saturday have been nonetheless out there on the secondary marketplace for lower than $100 a pop moments earlier than kickoff.
Messi missed the journey to Chester final season due to worldwide video games with Argentina at Copa America.
Messi, who turns 38 in June, obtained a mixture of cheers and boos in his return when he was launched, but the outcome was the identical.
Messi’s staff set an MLS report for finest regular-season mark a 12 months in the past, going 22-4-8 — ending with essentially the most factors and high successful proportion in league historical past. The 4 regular-season losses tied a league mark for the fewest in a season.
However this season appears nothing like final season.
“We’re coming off a period of bad results,” Messi instructed Apple TV. “But we have to keep working and think about what’s next. With three or four games left in May, we finish the best possible way to be able to face the Club World Cup.”
That event begins June 14. It’s the following massive occasion on Inter Miami’s calendar — and a few video games shall be performed down the street at Lincoln Monetary Area, house of the Tremendous Bowl champion Eagles.
Eagles star cornerback Cooper DeJean — who turned the primary participant in Tremendous Bowl historical past to intercept a cross or rating a landing on his birthday — struck the ceremonial pregame drum to get the festivities began.
Sullivan and Baribo took it from there, every scoring first-half targets in opposition to Miami’s Oscar Ustari to maintain the great occasions rolling for the most popular staff in MLS.
Due to Messi, they would not final.
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