Messi’s Inter Miami And Newell’s Old Boys Draw 1-1 In a Friendly Match

(CTN News) – Lionel Messi returned to the starting lineup for Inter Miami in the MLS club’s 1-1 home draw with Newell’s Old Boys on Thursday night, as he played for his boyhood club, Newell’s, for the first time since release from Inter.

Despite being an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, it was an emotional match for the player, who supported Old Boys as a youth and played for them between 1995 and 2000 before joining Barcelona.

As Messi was replaced by 22-year-old American Lawson Sunderland in the Inter Miami 60th minute, the game nevertheless delighted the home fans as they prepare for next week’s start of the MLS season in 2024.

After missing a friendly in Hong Kong earlier this month due to a groin injury, the 36-year-old striker who helped Argentina to the 2022 World Cup title has returned to Inter Miami starting 11 following a groin injury that forced him to sit out that game.

For the team’s final pre-season match, Messi came off the bench in a match against Inter Miami in Japan, but was back among the starters for the club’s last match against an MLS club.

There had been no goals in the first half and it was Inter Miami that took the lead in the 64th minute when Shanyder Borgelin put in a goal in order to give them a 1-0 lead.

With his head held high above a defender, the 22-year-old Haitian forward nodded home a perfect corner kick from Finnish midfielder Robert Taylor after leaping high over the defender as he leapt over the line.

In the 83rd minute, Newell equalized with a powerful shot Inter Miami into the bottom right corner of the goal from the heart of the box that was a blast from the heart of the box by Franco Martin Diaz.

As part of the opening match of the regular season of the Major League Soccer, Inter Miami will host Real Salt Lake on Wednesday.

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