FORT LAUDERDALE: 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 LA 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 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 moved up to fourth place after slipping to sixth in the East following a 4-1 rout at Orlando last week.
Miami coach Javier Mascherano said the team will check in with Messi on Sunday to see how he felt after the game, in regard to the hamstring injury as well as fatigue. There were times during the match that Messi appeared to stretch out his right leg.
“The important thing is that he finished (the match),” Mascherano said through an interpreter, adding that he thought Messi seemed to get more comfortable as the game went on.
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.