Lionel Messi’s last-minute equalizer saves the day for Inter Miami
Lionel Messi emerged as Inter Miami’s hero, securing a 1-1 draw against LA Galaxy with a crucial stoppage-time equaliser.
In the 75th minute, LA Galaxy’s Dejan Joveljic broke the deadlock with the opening goal. The sequence unfolded swiftly, initiated by Riqui Puig’s fierce strike just outside the penalty area. Despite an initial block by Miami’s goalkeeper, Drake Callender, the ball fell favourably to Mark Delgado. With precision, Delgado teed up Joveljic for a simple finish, granting Galaxy the lead.
However, Galaxy’s advantage became precarious when Delgado received his second yellow card, reducing the home side to ten men. This pivotal moment injected tension into the match as LA Galaxy endeavoured to protect their narrow lead against a determined Inter Miami side.
Inter Miami currently boast 4 points and continue their undefeated streak this season.
Right from the start, the match was packed with action, with LA Galaxy dominating possession and creating numerous scoring opportunities. However, the score remained deadlocked at halftime, largely thanks to Callender’s impressive goalkeeping for Miami, which included a crucial penalty save from Puig in the 13th minute.
Puig had another significant opportunity to break the deadlock in the 29th minute, but Callender once again denied him with a fine save to maintain the level score.
For Inter Miami, securing a draw was hard-fought, especially away from home, while LA Galaxy may have been left regretting missed chances but demonstrated their ability to compete with the top teams in the league.