MIAMI: Lionel Messi returned to Major League Soccer action after World Cup duty on Saturday, coming on in the second half as his Inter Miami side drew 2-2 with Columbus Crew.
Two weeks after Argentina’s loss to Spain in the World Cup final, Messi was back on the pitch, entering in the 53rd minute to the delight of fans at Miami’s Nu Stadium.
But Messi could not mark his return with a goal, twice shooting wide.
Uruguayan Luis Suarez scored his seventh goal in his last four games to put Miami 1-0 up in the 16th minute.
Miami’s former Manchester United and Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro scored an own goal in the 34th minute which drew Columbus level at 1-1.
Suarez provided the assist for Noah Allen to head Miami into a 2-1 half-time lead But midfielder Brais Mendez, making his Columbus debut after arriving from Real Sociedad in Spain, curled in a second equaliser from an 84th-minute free-kick.
The result ended Miami’s six-match winning streak and kept them in second place in the Eastern Conference behind Nashville, who drew 2-2 at DC United.
Los Angeles FC and Vancouver Whitecaps remain level at the top of the Western Conference after they drew 1-1 at Vancouver’s BC Place.
Son Heung-min extended his scoring streak since the MLS resumed after the World Cup to four goals in four matches as he put Los Angeles ahead in the 37th minute.
But Vancouver’s German star Thomas Mueller converted a 76th-minute penalty.
The former Tottenham star Son, who had shouldered much of the blame for South Korea’s failure to make it to the knockout rounds of the World Cup, also earned MVP honors in the MLS All-Star Game on Wednesday.
Published in Dawn, August 3rd, 2026