2023-10-22 00:02:02
CHARLOTTE, North Carolina, USA (AP) — Lionel Messi appeared in the starting lineup for Inter Miami, in their final game of the MLS regular season, once morest Charlotte.
The Argentine star was placed as captain in Saturday night’s game, which is not of major importance for Miami, a team already eliminated from the playoffs. Instead, Charlotte was playing for qualification on the last day of the regular season.
Charlotte blew the lead a couple of times and ended up resigning itself to a 2-2 tie on Miami’s court on Wednesday. Thus they missed an opportunity to climb from twelfth to eighth place in the Eastern Conference.
The top nine teams in each conference advance to the postseason. Charlotte is one of five clubs chasing the last two available spots in the East.
Messi did not play Wednesday in Miami’s final home game of the season. That match took place just one day following the star had scored the two goals for the Argentina team, which won 2-0 in Peru, in a World Cup qualifying match.
“Leo” was in the Inter bench area, with his teammates, hours following returning from Lima.
Messi told reporters in the Peruvian capital that he wanted to play one more game for Inter Miami before the conclusion of his debut MLS campaign. This meant playing in Charlotte even though this match was taking place on artificial grass.
Seven-time Ballon d’Or winner, Messi would also play in the colors of Inter Miami on November 5 and 8, when the club plays two friendly matches in China. It will be the first time that the team goes on an international tour.
Then, Argentina must play another pair of qualifying matches, on November 16 and 21. Once those commitments are met, Messi will have an extended rest before Inter Miami begins preparing for the 2024 season.
Messi has scored 11 goals in 13 games with Inter Miami. The team accumulates eight wins, four draws and one loss when Messi plays. Seven of those games were part of the Leagues Cup, a tournament in which Miami won the first title in its history.
The number 10 of the Argentine national team has also appeared in five MLS games, including three starts, in which he has scored a goal. He also played in a US Open Cup semi-final.
But a hamstring injury prevented him from having more activity and ended his team’s chances of qualifying for the postseason. Miami has a record of one win, three draws and three losses in seven games without Messi, who managed to enter as a substitute on October 7 once morest Cincinnati, which beat Miami 1-0, eliminating him.
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