Galaxy fall to Inter Miami in Lionel Messi’s return
Inter Miami defender Gonzalo Luján, center heads the ball during the first half of an MLS soccer match against the Galaxy, Saturday, Aug. 16, 2025, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Galaxy forward Gabriel Pec, left, and Inter Miami defender Maximiliano Falcón, right, go for the ball during the first half of an MLS soccer match, Saturday, Aug. 16, 2025, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi (10) reacts after scoring a goal during the second half of an MLS soccer match against the Galaxy, Saturday, Aug. 16, 2025, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi, center, runs with the ball during the second half of an MLS soccer match against the Galaxy, Saturday, Aug. 16, 2025, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Inter Miami defender Jordi Alba (18) celebrates after scoring a goal during the first half of an MLS soccer match against the Galaxy, Saturday, Aug. 16, 2025, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
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Inter Miami defender Gonzalo Luján, center heads the ball during the first half of an MLS soccer match against the Galaxy, Saturday, Aug. 16, 2025, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Lionel Messi wouldn’t be denied for long.
The Argentine superstar had missed numerous scoring chances in his return from injury Saturday night against the Galaxy, but in the match’s waning minutes, Messi scored the go-ahead goal, then assisted on another to help lift Inter Miami to a 3-1 victory.
Messi did not start the match, instead coming on at the beginning of the second half after being sidelined for two games with a right hamstring injury. He suffered the injury in Inter Miami’s Leagues Cup match against Necaxa on Aug. 2.
Messi slipped through defenders with his trademark dribbling before burying a left-footed shot from distance that made it 2-1 in the 84th minute. He then set up Luis Suárez with a back heel assist to give Miami a two-goal cushion.
It was the 19th goal of the season for Messi, who leads MLS, and a needed win for Inter Miami, which slipped to sixth in the East after a 4-1 rout at Orlando last week.
Jordi Alba put Miami up 1-0 late in the first half on Saturday, finishing a well-placed through ball from Sergio Busquets.
Joseph Paintsil tied it in the 59th for the Galaxy, who are the defending MLS Cup champions but are currently last in the Western Conference standings.
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