Messi saves face as Inter Miami settle for MLS draw at LA Galaxy
LIONEL Messi rescued Inter Miami with a dramatic last-minute goal, securing a 1-1 draw against the Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer.
Despite the Galaxy’s dominance and Dejan Joveljic’s 75th-minute goal, Inter Miami leveled the score after Jordi Alba set up Messi for a precise finish with his left foot in stoppage time.
The Galaxy ended the game with ten men following Mark Delgado’s red card in the 87th minute.
It was a rare moment of impact from Messi, who had been mostly ineffective in the game where Miami, with seven starters over the age of 30, struggled with Galaxy’s tempo.
Miami had all four of their former Barcelona stars in their starting lineup, with Alba, Sergio Busquets and Luis Suarez alongside Messi.
But it was the Galaxy’s former Barca player, 24-year-old Spaniard Riqui Puig, who was the dominant player on the field, especially in the first half when the California side had a series of chances.
Confident on the ball and incisive in his passing, Puig was dictating play, but
he should have given the home side the lead in the 13th minute from the penalty spot.
The lively Joseph Paintsil, a recent
signing from Genk in Belgium, had been pulled down in the box by Busquets, but Puig’s low free-kick was well saved by Drake Callender.
The Miami keeper then produced fine saves to keep out efforts from Paintsil and Puig, and apart from a deflected Messi effort, which was parried by Galaxy keeper John McCarthy, Miami created little.
Busquets and Suarez looked particularly off the pace, and with their contributions limited, Messi received little space or service.
It was better after the break as Miami pushed into a more offensive shape, but McCarthy did well to keep out two good efforts from Gomez and deal with routine shots from distance from Messi.
The Galaxy finally got their reward when Paintsil burst at the creaking Miami back-line, Puig’s shot was parried by Callender, and Delgado squared to Joveljic, who tapped home.
After Delgado’s dismissal, Alba found Messi, whose first-time shot flashed just wide, an effort that proved to be a dress rehearsal for the equalizer.
“We were outplayed in the first half; we could have gone into the dressing room a goal down,” said Inter head coach Gerardo Martino.