Inter Miami’s Messi Takes Horror Hit, Still Scores

Lionel Messi, the Argentine gem, has been on fire since the season kicked off, scoring left and right in his first full run with the MLS squad. Three goals in three games? That’s Messi for you.

But let’s talk about Thursday’s match, part of the CONCACAF Champions Cup’s last-16. Despite Messi’s magic, Miami, owned by soccer legend David Beckham, found themselves in a pickle early on, trailing 2-0 to Nashville. Then, Messi, with a little help from his old pal Luis Suarez, whipped up a stunner to narrow the gap.

Fast forward to the 78th minute, and here’s where it gets dicey. Nashville’s Lukas MacNaughton goes for a clear and ends up landing his studs way too high on Messi, right above the shin. It was ugly, with Messi left writhing in pain on the ground, his leg bending in a way it definitely shouldn’t. Despite the horror of that tackle, the ref didn’t even flash a yellow MacNaughton’s way. Luckily, Messi’s built tough. He shook it off and was back on his feet, continuing the game and watching Suarez tie it up in stoppage time.

And let’s not gloss over the reaction online. Fans were all over this, praising Messi’s resilience and slamming MacNaughton for the rough play. Comments ranged from awe over Messi’s durability to relief that he could walk it off. Some even called him a “freak of nature” for bouncing back the way he did.

The 2-2 draw sets the stage for an explosive return leg in Florida. Next up for Miami? They’re hosting Montreal on Sunday, sitting pretty at the top of the MLS Eastern Conference.

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