Messi’s Late Free Kick Goal Sparks Inter Miami to Rally for a 3-3 Tie Against Union
Lionel Messi gave Inter Miami a pep talk this week, exhorting his MLS team to be “more united than ever” to get through a recent rough stretch.
Motivational speeches sometimes work.
Messi being Messi almost never fails.
Messi got a rise out of the crowd when he scored on a free kick late in the 87th minute to pull Inter Miami within one and had the assist on Telasco Segovia’s tying goal in the 95th minute, helping Inter Miami rally from a two-goal deficit to tie the Philadelphia Union 3-3 on Saturday night.
Messi, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner and 2022 World Cup champion, scored a crucial goal in his first game since he challenged Inter Miami during a rare television interview to stick together after a loss against Orlando, The Associated Press reported.
Inter Miami stuck together down the stretch to stun the Union.
Messi finally solved 19-year-old Union goalie Andrew Rick late in front of a packed house that came to watch one of soccer’s greats — and also to root on a Union team that came minutes away from its 10th win of the season.
Quinn Sullivan scored the first goal and Tai Baribo added two more to give him 13 this season for the Union. Tadeo Allende scored in the second half to make it 2-1 Inter Miami.
