- Miami looked poised to slump to their first defeat of the season in California
- That was before Messi popped up with a crucial equalizer for the visitors
- DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news
As he has so frequently in just eight months at the club, Lionel Messi came to Inter Miami’s rescue once again with a last-gasp equalizer in their 1-1 draw at Inter Miami.
Messi had to pull Miami out of trouble on Sunday night in California, where they looked poised to slump to a first defeat of the new MLS season heading into stoppage time.
Dejan Joveljic opened the scoring for the hosts with 15 minutes to play, latching onto Marco Delgado’s ball across goal and converting past goalkeeper Drake Callender from close range to break the deadlock.
Yet when Delgado saw red 13 minutes later, Miami were offered a late lifeline heading into seven minutes of stoppage time.
Lionel Messi came to the rescue for Inter Miami on Sunday night with a stoppage-time equalizer in their 1-1 draw at LA Galaxy
Just two minutes into that closing period Messi struck, with the Argentina captain rifling Jordi Alba’s cross into the roof of the net to salvage a point for the visitors.
After failing to get on the scoresheet in Wednesday’s opening win over Real Salt Lake City, Miami’s superstar player was on hand with his first goal of the campaign at the most crucial of moments, ensuring Tata Martino’s men remain unbeaten two games into the season.
Earlier in the evening Callender looked like proving the hero of the evening for Inter after making a series of terrific saves, including when he got down brilliantly to deny Galaxy’s Riqui Puig from the penalty spot.
