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Published on 2024-02-26 09:28:59
Lionel Messi’s last-minute equalizer rescued a 1-1 draw for Inter Miami against Los Angeles Galaxy in a Major League Soccer match on Sunday. The game saw the Galaxy take the lead in the 75th minute through a goal by Dejan Joveljic, but midfielder Mark Delgado’s red card left them with ten men towards the end of the match.
Jordi Alba set up Messi for the equalizing goal in stoppage time, with the Argentine forward finding the target with a spectacular shot from outside the box. Despite Miami struggling against Galaxy’s tempo, they managed to salvage a point thanks to Messi’s heroics.
The match featured a lineup that included four former Barcelona players for Miami, with Messi being joined by Alba, Sergio Busquets, and Luis Suarez. However, it was Galaxy’s Riqui Puig who stood out as the dominant player on the field, especially in the first half where he had several chances to score.
Miami’s goalkeeper Drake Callender made crucial saves to deny Galaxy’s attempts, including a penalty save against Puig. The match saw little contribution from Busquets and Suarez, which led to Messi being starved of service for most of the game.
Following Delgado’s red card, Miami pushed forward in search of an equalizer and eventually found success through Messi’s late strike. Inter head coach Gerardo Martino praised his team’s character and resilience in coming back from a goal down.
In another MLS match, Toronto FC under new head coach John Herdman secured a respectable 0-0 draw against FC Cincinnati. Herdman, a former Canada national team coach, took charge of a revamped Toronto side that showed promising signs in the match.
Elsewhere, New York Red Bulls were held to a goalless draw by Nashville, with both teams hitting the woodwork in search of a winning goal. The match marked a debut for Red Bulls’ new coach Sandro Schwarz, who saw his team narrowly miss out on victory.
Overall, the MLS matches on Sunday showcased competitive action with late drama and standout performances from key players. The results set the stage for an exciting season ahead as teams look to make their mark in the league.
