Messi scores twice in triumphant injury return for Miami

TDT | Manama

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Lionel Messi dazzled in his return from injury Saturday, scoring two goals in the space of four minutes and adding an assist in Inter Miami’s 3-1 Major League Soccer victory over the Philadelphia Union.

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner hadn’t played since injuring his right ankle during the Copa America final on July 14, when he helped Argentina to victory over Colombia.

Since then he had missed eight MLS games for his club and this month’s World Cup qualifiers for his country.

Messi hadn’t played for Inter since June 1, but he didn’t miss a beat as he was inserted into the starting lineup. “The truth is that I’m a little tired,” he said after the match.

“The heat and humidity in Miami don’t help much either, but I really wanted to come back, I had been off of the field for a long time.

“Little by little I was training with the group, feeling good and that’s why we decided that I would start, and I’m very happy -- very happy.”

Miami coach Gerardo Martino was delighted to see his star come out “feeling good” after 90 minutes.

Philadelphia seized the advantage in the second minute on Mikael Uhre’s left-footed shot from outside the area.

Messi grabbed the equalizer in the 26th minute, collecting a pass from Luis Suarez and beating defender Kai Wagner before unleashing a right-footed shot to cap a sequence launched by Jordi Alba on the left. Ecstatic fans were still celebrating when he fired Inter ahead in the 30th, connecting again with Alba and firing a left-footed shot from the center of the area into the bottom right corner.