Messi came on in the 55th minute for Tomas Aviles, hoping to help Inter Miami make a breakthrough against strong opponents FC Cincinnati after a 0-0 first half draw. This is a key match for Inter Miami in MLS and they must win to have any hope of competing for a ticket to the playoffs.
Messi returns to play for Inter Miami
Messi played with great effort. But just returning after a long break, the Argentine star could not help Inter Miami win as expected.
Messi tried to make a difference with various attacking moves as soon as he entered the field. He also looked for scoring opportunities from free kicks in front of his favorite 16.50m area. But all failed.
Meanwhile, FC Cincinnati played solidly, organized effective counterattacks, and got the decisive goal in the 78th minute by Alvaro Barreal to lead Inter Miami 1-0.
In the final minutes of the match, Messi tried his best to find an equalizer for Inter Miami to keep their hopes alive. But FC Cincinnati's players played very solidly to successfully defend their 1-0 victory.
Messi's efforts were unsuccessful.
Inter Miami's next loss to FC Cincinnati 0-1 followed a 1-4 loss to Chicago Fire FC, which effectively ended any chance of qualifying for the MLS Cup playoffs. Inter Miami currently has 33 points from 32 games, seven points behind DC United (ranked 9th and in the playoffs), while the remaining two games against Charlotte FC are now just formalities.
After the match with FC Cincinnati, Messi will return to the Argentina national team to play two 2026 World Cup qualifiers in South America, against Paraguay (October 13) and Peru (October 18).
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