Messi logs 2 assists for Inter Miami in first match since retiring from international soccer

MIAMI: Lionel Messi may have retired from international soccer, but he's certainly not done making an impact on the pitch.

Messi had two assists for Inter Miami on Saturday night as his MLS club played Atlanta United to a 2-2 draw in his first match since announcing that his time playing for his native Argentina is done.

Luis Suárez and Casemiro scored for Inter Miami, which is second in the Eastern Conference and 10 points behind first-place Nashville with 11 matches left in the regular season.

Casemiro headed home a corner from Messi to open the scoring in the 32nd minute. Miguel Almirón equalized for Atlanta a couple minutes later before Messi lofted a pass toward Telasco Segovia, who set up Suárez's 12th goal of the season — a right-footed shot from the center of the box just before halftime.

Breel Embolo, converted a penalty in the 87th, and Atlanta withstood a series of last-minute chances by Inter Miami for the draw.

On a rainy night at Inter Miami's Nu Stadium, fans cheered when players from both clubs came out for warm-ups after inclement weather caused a delay of more than an hour — and they roared even louder when Messi emerged from the tunnel.

“Very emotional,” midfielder Rodrigo De Paul said in Spanish during a prematch interview with Apple TV. “We lived with so much excitement having him out there on the field. It brought us so much joy to see the Argentina jersey all over the world, and it always had a No. 10 on the back.”