2 years ago
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Lionel Messi joined Inter Miami in July last year on a two-and-a-half-year contractLionel Messi had a hand in both goals as he helped Inter Miami beat Real Salt Lake in Major League Soccer's season opener on Wednesday.
Argentina forward Messi played in Robert Taylor for the first, with the midfielder's first-half shot squeezing under visiting keeper Zac MacMath.
Messi, 36, also had a hand in Miami's late second goal scored by Diego Gomez.
He linked up well with former Barcelona team-mate Luis Suarez, who registered an assist on his MLS debut.
"He looked loose, fine and showed a lot of speed," Miami coach Gerardo Martino said of Messi's performance.
The 2022 World Cup winner missed the back end of last season for David Beckham's MLS franchise through injury.
Earlier this week, Messi released a video to defend his absence from a friendly in Hong Kong on 5 February after a backlash from Chinese fans.
Line-ups
Inter Miami CF
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Callender
- 2Yedlin
- 6AvilésSubstituted forAllenat 77'minutes
- 27Kryvtsov
- 18Alba
- 24GresselSubstituted forMota Oliveira de Sousaat 77'minutes
- 5BusquetsSubstituted forSunderlandat 84'minutes
- 20GómezBooked at 68mins
- 10Messi
- 9SuárezSubstituted forCampanaat 90'minutes
- 16TaylorSubstituted forRuízat 76'minutes
Substitutes
- 7Mota Oliveira de Sousa
- 8Campana
- 15Sailor
- 29dos Santos
- 32Allen
- 41Ruíz
- 43Sunderland
- 49Borgelin
- 62Boatwright
Real Salt Lake
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 18MacMath
- 14Eneli
- 15Glad
- 4Vera
- 2Brody
- 6Ojeda
- 13PalacioSubstituted forBarajasat 66'minutes
- 11GómezSubstituted forJulioat 66'minutes
- 7RuizBooked at 15mins
- 8LunaSubstituted forCaliskanat 73'minutes
- 9ArangoSubstituted forHidalgoat 86'minutes
Substitutes
- 3Oviedo
- 16Chang
- 17Barajas
- 19Hidalgo
- 20Holt
- 29Julio
- 30Silva
- 35Beavers
- 92Caliskan
Referee:Cristian Campo
Attendance:21,137
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