Returning from injury, Messi only took 11 minutes to score
Lionel Messi returned to the field and helped Inter Miami to a 2-2 draw with Colorado in Major League Soccer (MLS).
Messi has been sidelined for nearly a month due to injury. Not only at Inter Miami, he also missed friendly matches with the Argentina national team.
During Messi's absence, Inter Miami only won 1, lost 2 and drew 1 in all competitions. The match against Colorado on the morning of April 7 marked the return of the Argentine star, but he only started from the bench.
On the pitch, his teammates continued to show unconvincing performance. Inter Miami's attack lacked sharpness, while the defense made mistakes. Colorado took the lead in the 45th minute, when Rafael Navarro successfully converted a penalty. Before that, Kevin Cabral was fouled by Ryan Sailor in the penalty area.
Witnessing the unconvincing performance on the field, coach Gerardo Martino was forced to put Messi on the field at the beginning of the second half. This player only needed 11 minutes to make his mark.
In the 57th minute, Negri had a pass from the left wing. On the edge of the penalty area, Messi placed a delicate touch. The ball hit a Colorado defender's foot and then hit the post and went into the net.
The equalizer helped Inter Miami get more excited. They immediately scored to increase the score to 2-1 in the 60th minute. Messi continued to shine with a delicate pass for David Ochoa to break through, creating an assist for Leonardo Afonso to score.
In the following minutes, the Argentine star continued to make classy plays to create opportunities. However, his teammates could not take advantage of the opportunity.
Inter Miami continue to extend their winless streak. But the return and convincing performance of Lionel Messi is a positive sign for the team owned by David Beckham.