Messi scores as Inter Miami lead Philadelphia 2-1 in a live MLS match (2026)

The captain's return from a difficult August has produced a concrete answer: Lionel Messi scored in the 26th minute at Philadelphia, his first goal since coming back to Inter Miami. The match remains live, with Miami leading 2–1 at the latest check. 1 2

Live match snapshot

Field	Update
Competition	MLS regular season: Philadelphia Union vs. Inter Miami. 1
Score and status	Philadelphia Union 1–2 Inter Miami. Yahoo's latest recorded event was the 28th minute; ESPN also listed the match as live at 27'. 1 3
Goal timeline	11' Indiana Vassilev for Philadelphia; 21' Daniel Pinter for Miami, assisted by Luis Suárez; 26' Messi for Miami, assisted by Ian Fray. 1
Messi's current line	Started; 1 goal, 0 assists and 1 shot. The latest record lists 0 fouls committed and 0 offsides, with no substitution recorded. 1

What changed for Messi

The expected appearance became a start, and the first goal since Messi returned arrived before halftime. AS USA's pre-match report listed him as fit and available after he had gone scoreless in his first matches back; the live record now shows the answer in the 26th minute. 1 2

What is confirmed, and what is still open

Confirmed: Messi started for Miami alongside Luis Suárez and Daniel Pinter. He has scored once, with Ian Fray providing the assist. 1
Pending: The final score, Messi's full minutes, and any second-half goals, cards or substitutions. ESPN still marks Philadelphia–Miami as live. 3

Next watch

The final whistle is the next meaningful checkpoint. The current record has settled the appearance and the goal; the remaining update is how long Messi stays on the field and whether Miami can protect the 2–1 lead. 1