Messi returns, Inter Miami held to a draw after Casemiro's own goal

Inter Miami was held to a 2-2 draw by Columbus Crew on the day Messi returned to play, but new signing Casemiro had an own goal situation.

Inter Miami was held to a 2-2 draw by Columbus Crew in an MLS match that took place on the morning of August 2nd, Vietnam time. The clash at Nu Stadium marked the official return of superstar Lionel Messi after the 2026 World Cup. The home team took the lead twice but could not maintain the advantage, thus ending their six-match winning streak in the league.

After an initial period of back-and-forth, Inter Miami made a difference in the 16th minute. Yannick Bright provided a favorable pass for Luis Suárez to control and finish accurately, opening the score 1-0. The goal boosted the confidence of the pink-shirted team, while Columbus Crew had to push their formation forward and increase pressure to find a response.

The visitors' efforts were rewarded in the 34th minute in a rather unexpected way. While dropping back to stop a Columbus Crew counterattack, Casemiro made a poor intervention and sent the ball into his own net. Goalkeeper Rocco Ríos Novo could not correct his teammate's mistake, leveling the score at 1-1 on the day the Brazilian midfielder made his home debut.

Just as the first half seemed to end in a draw, Inter Miami took the lead again in the 45+5th minute. Luis Suárez once again made his mark with an assist for Noah Allen to fire past Patrick Schulte. The referee needed VAR assistance before confirming the goal, allowing the home team to go into halftime with a 2-1 advantage.

In the second half, Columbus Crew took control of possession and created more pressure. Lionel Messi was brought on in the 53rd minute, but the Argentine star's presence did not help Inter Miami increase their lead. The visitors had more shots and continuously forced Miami's defense to drop deep, while the home team's counterattacks lacked accuracy in the final pass.

In the 84th minute, Columbus Crew's pressure finally paid off. Brais Méndez took advantage of an opportunity to score the equalizer, making the final minutes tense. Both teams continued to search for a decisive goal but failed. Inter Miami ended the match with 53% possession, 11 shots compared to 13 from their opponents, and had to settle for a point despite leading twice.