Lionel Messi delivered two assists in his first match since retiring from international play, but Inter Miami conceded a late penalty to draw 2-2 with Atlanta United on Saturday night at the Nu Stadium in Miami, remaining ten points behind Eastern Conference leaders Nashville.
A weather delay pushed kickoff back by more than an hour on a rainy night in Florida, but the crowd’s energy surged when the teams finally emerged from the tunnel according to the reporting outlet. The fixture marked the first appearance for the Argentine star since announcing his departure from the Argentina national team, anchoring a starting lineup that also featured Luis Suárez and veteran midfielder Casemiro.
Set-Piece Precision and Early Trading of Goals at Nu Stadium
The first breakthrough arrived in the 32nd minute through the combination of the team’s marquee creators. Messi swung a corner kick into the area, where Casemiro rose to deliver a powerful header past goalkeeper Lucas Hoyos to open the scoring.
The lead proved short-lived. Just three minutes later, a defensive miscue allowed Atlanta to equalize. Tomás Jacob sent a cross from the right flank, and Ian Fray inadvertently redirected the ball into the path of Miguel Almirón, who scored after a rebound off goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair.
Before the interval, Inter Miami reclaimed the advantage. Messi lifted a lofted pass to Telasco Segovia, who slipped the ball through to Luis Suárez. The Uruguayan striker finished with a precise right-footed shot from the center of the penalty area just before halftime.
Late Penalty and St. Clair Heroics Shape the Second Half
The second half brought mounting defensive pressure from the visitors. In the 70th minute, Casemiro was whistled for a foul inside the box following a VAR review, earning a yellow card and giving Atlanta an opportunity to equalize from the penalty spot according to the match referee’s decision. St. Clair kept his side ahead by diving to his left to stop Almirón’s attempt.
Inter Miami could not hold out until the final whistle. In the 87th minute, a turnover by Fricio Caicedo resulted in a foul on Breel Embolo inside the area. The Swiss forward stepped up to convert the ensuing penalty, leveling the score at 2-2 in the closing minutes.
The match was one where Inter was better in the first half. Gerardo Martino, Atlanta United Coach
Martino reflected on his return to Florida after the final whistle, noting the significance of the venue where he previously managed.
It was nice to return because we lived through a wonderful era. We had the team we had and it seemed like we didn’t have the right to celebrate, it is very nice to be here. Gerardo Martino, Atlanta United Coach
Late Flurry and Championship Standings
Messi nearly snatched a victory for the hosts in stoppage time, firing a low shot that Hoyos stopped with his right leg before Junior Alonso cleared a subsequent rebound off the line. From the resulting corner kick, Messi came within inches of scoring directly from the corner flag, clipping the goalpost with an Olympic goal attempt before the defense scrambled clear.
The draw leaves Inter Miami with 43 points in the Eastern Conference standings, ten points behind table-leaders Nashville with 11 regular-season matches remaining as the club prepares for the upcoming arrival of Cristian González as head coach.
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