Inter Miami welcomed back Lionel Messi from injury on Saturday as he was instantly named in the starting lineup - and he showed fans what they'd been missing with a first-half brace against the Philadelphia Union.
Messi rolled back the years with a trademark goal after Luis Suarez slotted the ball into his path and the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner wriggled his way through the penalty area before finding the bottom-left corner. Just four minutes later Messi was on the scoresheet again, this time catching goalkeeper Andrew Vincent Rick off guard with a first-time finish following Jordi Alba's cross.
The brace from Messi canceled out an early goal from Union striker Mikael Uhre, who put the visiting team ahead inside two minutes. But nothing was going to spoil Messi's return, especially when it was the 37-year-old controlling things on the field, and he assisted Suarez in the 97th minute to ice the game.
It was the first time since July 14 that Messi had played a competitive game after he hobbled off in the final of Copa America with a right ankle injury . Messi was in tears as he sat watching Argentina face Columbia with his ankle placed in support but ended up celebrating after his nation won the tournament .
Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni claimed that Messi's tears weren't forced by his injury but by his feeling of guilt for letting his teammates down. "He wants to play not because he is egotistical or selfish," Scaloni said after Messi limped off.
"He wants to continue playing because he doesn't want to abandon his teammates. He doesn't want to leave them on the pitch even when he's in that condition... He doesn't feel well when he has to leave and he was born to be on the pitch."
The news that Messi would be out 'indefinitely' following the final of Copa America was a major blow to Miami, but the team has managed to continue winning without him. The last MLS game Messi played before leaving for Copa America was on June 1, meaning that the team was without him for 105 days.
It was the second-longest in-season layoff of Messi's professional career after he missed 117 games two decades ago during the 2004-05 season. Although Miami was without Messi and also Suarez, who represented Uruguay at Copa America, they continued to win.
Since Messi's last game on June 1, Miami has won eight and lost just one in MLS. The stunning run of form means that Miami stays top of the Eastern Conference, and the team has a 10-point buffer over any other in MLS.
Miami is pushing toward a first Supporters' Shield honor and with Messi, Suarez, Alba, and Sergio Busquets all reuniting in the U.S. after enjoying years of success in Barcelona, it would be a shock if they didn't win more trophies. Messi and Suarez are also in consideration for individual accolades, with both in the running for the Golden Boot.
Despite international commitments and injury problems, Messi is fifth in the Golden Boot race with 14 goals after his brace against Philly. Ahead of him are Denis Bouanga (16), Suarez and Cristian Arango (both 17), and Christian Benteke (19).
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