Video: Lionel Messi scores stunning free-kick before Inter Miami suffer late heartbreak in MLS defeat

By Ben Sully | 28 Sep 2026 03:10, Last updated: 28 Sep 2026 03:43

Inter Miami prima Lionel Messi scored a stunning free-kick from a constrictive space successful Sunday's 2-1 loss to Columbus Crew.

The Herons fell down successful the 28th infinitesimal of the MLS contest, erstwhile Josef Martinez dispatched a punishment against his erstwhile nine aft being dragged down successful the box.

Five minutes later, Inter Miami levelled the scoreline acknowledgment to different spectacular free-kick from Messi's near foot.

Situated to the close of the punishment box, the free-kick was acceptable up for a transportation into the country alternatively than a shot.

FREE KICK MAGIC FROM LEO. ?✨ pic.twitter.com/s6gT7fDFki

Messi's peculiar free-kick not capable successful constrictive defeat

But Messi yet had different ideas arsenic helium whipped the shot with the required gait and precision to evade everyone successful the container and the goalkeeper's outstretched near limb earlier it dropped successful astatine the acold post.

The effort extended Messi's scoring tally to 3 successive MLS games and represented the 76th free-kick extremity of his glittering career.

Inter Miami thought they had pulled disconnected the turnaround erstwhile David Ayala fired location conscionable past the hr mark, lone for his effort to beryllium subsequently chalked disconnected for offside.

The Herons past experienced a disastrous extremity to the contention that saw precocious substitute Santiago Morales person a reddish paper for 2 bookable offences, earlier a goalkeeping mistake opened the doorway for Jamal Thiare to triumph the crippled successful the eighth infinitesimal of stoppage time.

MESSI WITH A FREE KICK GOLAZO ? pic.twitter.com/5rhLfDkJt7

What adjacent for Inter Miami and Messi?

Messi's 21st MLS extremity leaves him apical of the scoring charts, though Inter Miami person present gone 5 games without a triumph successful the competition.

Kily Gonzalez's broadside are inactive successful a beardown presumption successful the Eastern Conference, sitting successful 3rd spot with 46 points from 27 games.

They volition person to hold until October 11 for their adjacent outing against DC United astatine Nu Stadium.

Meanwhile, Messi's absorption volition crook to his last lucifer successful planetary shot aft making the pugnacious determination to telephone clip connected his Argentina career.

The country's all-time grounds scorer volition marque 1 last planetary quality successful a affable against Benin astatine Estadio Monumental connected October 7.