- Tata Martino previously indicated it was unlikely Messi would play in the game
- Messi is expected to play in Inter Miami´s colors next during the tour of China
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Inter Miami pulled miraculously off a 2-2 draw to Charlotte FC as Lionel Messi sat out the final regular season game of the year.
Charlotte recoded the first goal of the match when striker Enzo Copetti was able to head a ball into the net on the 45 minute of the first half.
It did not take Miami long to find an equalizer after Nicolas Stefanelli picked up a last second goal in the six minute of stoppage time to send the game into halftime tied up at 1-1.
Kerwin Vargas quickly put Charlotte back in the driver’s seat however after slotting a ball into the back of the net in the 52.
As hope appeared to be running out for Miami, Robbie Robinson got free only yards in front of the goalkeeper and was able to easily put home the equalizer as Charlotte’s defense was caught ball watching.
Lionel Messi sat out Inter Miami’s last game of the season as they lost 2-1 to Charlotte FC
Enzo Copetti (9) and Kerwin Vargas scored the two goals for Charlotte FC in the draw
Nicolas Stefanelli (22) scored the lone goal for Miami in their season-ending contest
Miami manager Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino previously mentioned that Messi was unlikely to participate in the season ending contest, seeing as though Miami had nothing to play for after already being eliminated from making the playoffs.
Despite expressing his wish to play earlier in the week, Messi was still held out of the contest after he only recently returned from playing with Argentina in World Cup qualifiers.
Charlotte needing a win and favorable results elsewhere to snag the eighth or ninth seed in the East and a postseason place.
Messi is expected to play in Inter Miami´s colors on Nov. 5 and Nov. 8, when the team plays two exhibition matches in China.
It´ll be the first time Inter Miami goes on a foreign tour. Argentina then has more World Cup qualifiers on Nov. 16 and Nov. 21 – after which Messi should get an extended break before Inter Miami begins preparing for 2024.
Messi has 11 goals in 13 matches with Inter Miami this season. The team has gone 8-1-4 when he plays; seven of those matches were on the team´s run to win its first-ever trophy by claiming the Leagues Cup championship.
He has also appeared in five MLS games and one U.S. Open Cup semifinal.
But a leg injury derailed his season, and essentially ended Inter Miami´s chances of making the postseason. Miami is now 1-3-3 in seven matches without Messi since he joined the club.
