Inter Miami 3-1 Philadelphia Union: summary, score, goals, highlights MLS
Inter Miami - Philadelphia Union: As it happened
Lionel Messi scored a quick-fire brace on his return for Inter Miami, reiterating their status as Supporters' Shield front-runners.
The Herons had been without Messi since June 1 and the Chase Stadium crowd was expectant as the captain made his long-awaited comeback. However it was Philadelphia Union who struck first, Mikkel Uhre firing home from the edge of the box after just one minute.
Miami struggled to get a hold of the game in the early stages but Messi made a typically definitive intervention midway through the first half, scoring twice in three minutes to fire the hosts ahead.
Philadelphia pushed for a leveller in the second half but they met firm resistance from Drake Callender in the Inter Miami goal. Then, in the final seconds, Messi rolled a pass to Luis Suarez on the edge of the box and the Uruguayan stroked the ball home to secure a hard-fought three points for the Herons.
Watch: Luis Suarez scores 17th MLS goal from Messi assist
It was meant to be. After scoring a brace on his return to the team, Lionel Messi set up his old pal Luis Suarez with his final touch of the game on Saturday evening.
Clever play from Messi and a clinical finish from Suarez to wrap up all three points.
Full time at Chase Stadium.
The final whistle calls time on a fascinating game, with Inter Miami coming out on top at Chase Stadium. Two goals from Lionel Messi and a late third from Luis Suarez was enough to win the three points and keep their impressive run going.
GOOOOOAAAAAL! Luis Suarez
The Uruguayan makes it safe with a inch-perfect strike from the edge of the box. That wraps up the points.
Inter Miami are awarded a free kick and both Weigandt and Wagner are off the field. They may not return before the full time whistle.
There's a strong tackle in front of the technical area between Kai Wagner and Marcelo Weigandt. The referee stops the game and both players remain down.
Will he opt to punish either party? Both challenges were a bit clumsy...
Brave goalkeeping from Drake Callender who gets clattered by Gazdag as he clear a shot backpass.
Callender has had little help from his defence this evening but the Miami stopped has done very well.
David Ruiz Ian Fray come on for Miami in the final minutes. They replace Allen and Redondo.
We're going to have a minimum of four minutes of added time at the end of the second half.
Noah Allen
After briefly getting to his feet, Allen is back on the turf and gestures to say that he cannot continue. That's not ideal for Inter Miami, who have already suffered so many defensive injuries in 2024.
Drake Callender comes sliding out to claim a loose ball but unwittingly clashes into Noah Allen. The defender was sent sprawling to the ground and will need medical attention here.
Union come forward with Adeniran on the ball, tearing through the midfield. Inter Miami recover well get get bodies back to stem the counter-attack.
Brilliant Callender double save saves Miami.
With just a few minutes of the 90 remaining, Sergio Busquets is caught on the ball in his own box and Callender is forced into a sharp double save from Adeniran to keep his side ahead.
Philadelphia are looking to build up some momentum now, enjoying a spell of possession in the Miami half.
After a couple of minutes of play, Union defender Jack Elliott takes matters into his own hand and fires at goal from 35 yards. Callender saves and then smothers well.
Double change in midfield for the hosts. Yannick Bright and Benjamin Cremaschi come on. Julian Gressel and Diego Gomez are replaced.
Brilliant one-on-one defending from Noah Allen to keep pace with Adeniran and win a free kick from the Union forward. Allen has looked good tonight.
It looks like Tata Martino has shifted formation for the final stages.
Sergio Busquets has dropped into defence, playing alongside Noah Allen and Tomas Aviles in a back three. Weigandt and Alba will play as wing backs, with Messi and Suarez now functioning as a two-man strike force.
Luis Suarez
The Inter Miami striker is booked for dissent after being denied a free kick.
A deserved booking for Suarez, but an unneccessary one.
Daniel Gazdag wins a free kick for his team, midway into the Inter Miami half. The set piece is curled in by Kai Wagner but it's too close to Callender and the Miami keeper comes out to claim the ball.
Quinn Sullivan
The Philadelphia Union forward is punished for a late challenge on Lionel Messi in front of the technical areas.
Philadelphia Union are starting to make things happen now. Baribo and Gazdag both try darting runs into the box but are repelled by the Miami defence.
Big chance falls to Adeniran.
Quinn Sullivan has looked dangerous since switching to the left flank and he burns past Weigandt. Sullivan curls in a teasing cross towards Adeniran, who can't get his header on target from six yards out.
He really should've done better there.
Kai Wagner finds himself in crossing space on the left and hurls a ball into the cross. Tai Baribo rises highest to meet it but he gets underneath the header and can't hit the target.
Brilliant spell of play from Inter Miami. Messi drives forward and plays a sharp one-two with Redondo, opening up space for Jordi Alba on the flank.
Amazingly, Messi misplaces the pass to Alba and the chance disappears.
The home support is in good voice now, buoyed by good spell of play from the hosts. Inter Miami's lead remains one goal, however.
Lionel Messi tries to slip a pass through to Luis Suarez but it's a little overhit and the ball rolls through to Rick in the Union goal.
Lionel Messi steps up to take the free kick. It's well-struck but clips the top of the defensive wall and spins out for a corner kick.
He'll take that as well.
Inter Miami come back with Messi, dancing to the edge of the box. He's hauled down and Miami win a free kick, 25 yards from goal.
Mikkel Uhre balloons one-on-one.
Huge chance squandered by the in-form Philadelphia forward. He was slipped in on goal, left of the box, and tried to curl the ball into the far corner.
Instead, his wild effort goes well off-target.
Brilliant ball forward finds Quinn Sullivan in acres of space on the right wing, charging towards the Inter Miami box. He cuts inside and - with two options in the middle - strikes the ball at a recovering defender and the opportunity evaporates.
Good chance for the Union, there.
Desperate lunge needed from Tomas Aviles to clear a loose ball in the Inter Miami box. The Herons may be ahead but they've looked erratic at the back throughout tonight.
Federico Redondo is penalised for a foul on Gazdag in the middle of midfield. Free kick to Philadelphia.
The Union are enjoying a bit more possession at the start of the second half. The visitors are playing with less directness, now happy to keep the ball in midfield for a while before playing forward.
Will they be able to build through the Miami press?
Good delivery from Wagner but Inter Miami get the ball clear.
Promising start from the Union as Gazdag looks to play in Uhre. Miami get back to intercept but they concede a corner kick.
And we're back.
Philadelphia get the second half underway.
Watch: Mikkel Uhre fires Philadelphia ahead
Here's another look at the key moments of the first half. The visitors needed just one minute to find the back of the net, forward Mikkel Uhre rifling the ball past Drake Callender from the edge of the box.
Lionel Messi double gives Inter Miami the lead.
The Herons struggled for the first 25 minutes of the first half but the hosts were sparked into life by two Lionel Messi goals in three minutes. Luis Suarez thought he'd added a third shortly before the break but his goal was ruled out after Messi strayed offside in the build-up.
Halftime at Chase Stadium.
Inter Miami lead at the break thanks to two goals from Lionel Messi on his return to the team.
Brilliant pass from Lionel Messi to loft a pass over to Jordi Alba behind the backline. The Spaniard cushions the ball across the face of goal but there's no one there to poke it home for Miami.
Quinn Sullivan tries to clip a ball down the line to Daniel Gazdag but the pass is overhit and bounces through to Drake Callender in the Inter Miami goal.
Having been denied a third, Inter Miami look pretty content to play out the final minutes of the first half with a 2-1 lead.
We're going to have a minimum of five minutes of added time. Probably a few minutes more, after that VAR check.
VAR decision - Offside
Lionel Messi strayed offside in the build-up to that goal. The goal is ruled out.
We're back to Inter Miami 2-1 Philadelphia Union.
VAR check - Offside
Hold on, was Lionel Messi offside as he received the ball in the build up to that goal?
The incident is being checked...
GOOOOOAAAAAL! Luis Suarez
On the stroke of halftime Inter Miami have a third. Lionel Messi pokes the ball to Suarez on the edge of the box and the Uruguayan curls the ball past Rick and into the back of the net.
Clinical from the hosts.
Big save from Rick to deny Suarez.
Weigandt and Gressel combine on the right to find Suarez in the middle. The Uruguayan curls the ball into the bottom corner but Andrew Rick does brilliantly to dive low to his left and palm the ball wide.
Good from the Union to get Mikkel Uhre into space on the right and the Philadelphia forward flashes a brilliant whipped across long the six-yard box. Daniel Gazdag is lurking in the box but he can't connect and the ball goes safely out of play on the far side.
Sensational from Uhre.
With halftime fast approaching, you sense that the Union might be quite happy to get to the break now. Inter Miami look to be in the ascendency.
Watch: Two goals in three minutes for Lionel Messi
For fans who have waited three and a half months for Lionel Messi to return to Inter Miami, this is exactly the comeback that they would have hoped for.
Messi has scored a quick-fire brace against the Union to nudge Inter Miami into the lead.
Philadelphia make a sharp counter-attack and Gazdag, Baribo and Uhre find themselves three-on-three. It's a golden chance for the visitors but Baribo opts to shoot from 30 yards.
The shot takes a deflection and bounces out for a corner kick.
Jordi Alba releases Luis Suarez down the left flank and the Uruguayan stands up a cross to Julian Gressel at the back post. He finds Lionel Messi in the middle but the captain can't make space for a shot and the chance goes.
Inter Miami are looking like the dominant team now, making it difficult for Philadelphia to play out from the back and controlling the middle of the pitch.
Watch: Lionel Messi goal on Miami return
Here's the first of Messi's two goals this evening, a clinical solo effort to draw his side level. He's been out for 63 days but he's wasting no time on his return to the field.
What a turnaround! Inter Miami lead and Lionel Messi has scored twice on his return to the team. Philadelphia have acquitted themselves well in the first half an hour but they find themselves behind.
GOOOOOAAAAAAAAL! Lionel Messi
Incredible, Lionel Messi has scored twice in three minutes!
The ball is rolled into the boss by Jordi Alba and Messi whips the ball past Rick in the Union goal.
Miami lead!
Lionel Messi's goal came from nothing more than a shaft of light on the edge of the Union box. Luis Suarez flicked the ball in Messi's direction and the Argentine did the rest; controlling the ball, turning inside Jack Elliott and firing low past Andrew Rick.
GOOOOOAAAAAAAL! Lionel Messi
Of course! With a shimmy and a strike, Lionel Messi has his goal on his return for Inter Miami.
Brilliant goal!
Sergio Busquets is struggling to get into the game in the opening stages, swamped by the Union's diamond midfield. Does Tata Martino need to make a change to help open this game up with Inter Miami?
Good defending from Marcelo Weigandt at the back post for Miami, winning the ball off Gazdag in the air and then earning his team a free kick.
Inter Miami progress the ball down the left flank and work a good crossing position for Jordi Alba. The former Barcelona man miscues his delivery and balloons his attempt into the stands.
What is going on here?!
This has not been a good 20 minutes from Inter Miami. We've seen poor touches and misplaced passes in the midfield, along with a lack of clarity at the back.
Inter Miami survive defensive calamity!
Nearly a second for the visitors as a backpass from Tomas Aviles is played hopelessly short. Uhre pounces on the loose touch and drives at goal but Drake Callender makes a brilliant double save to deny the Union.
Noah Allen, usually a full-back, will be taking over form Martinez at the heart of the Miami defence. Both Allen and defensive partner Tomas Aviles are just 20 years old, a very inexperienced backline for Inter Miami now.
Change for Inter Miami. Hector Martinez hobbles off, Noah Allen comes on to replace him.
Hector Martinez
Concern for Inter Miami as the defender goes down after a tackle. The referee stops the game so he can receive medical treatment.
Martinez may not be able to continue here.
Inter Miami are starting to enjoy a solid spell of possession now, building their way into the game.
Watch: Mikkel Uhre goal puts Inter Miami behind
The Philadelphia Union needed just 60 seconds to ruin the party on Lionel Messi's return to MLS. Kai Wagner pounced on a loose touch from Luis Suarez and the Union striker finished well from the edge of the box.
Brilliant piece of skill from Diego Gomez on the left flank for Inter Miami, popping the ball through the legs of Nathan Harriel and skipping past the right-back.
Philadelphia Union clear the corner and try to break swiftly.
Miami get players back to stem the counter-attack but it's a sign of the Union game plan this evening, looking to catch the hosts on the break whenever possible.
Messi tries to curl it with his left foot but his effort clips the top of the wall.
Inter Miami manage to retain possession and win a corner kick. Messi to take...
The free kick is around 25 yards from goal, right down the middle.
Can Messi produce something magic on his return?
Inter Miami are struggling to get a hold of the ball in the early stages.
The ball drops to Suarez on the edge of the box and he's clipped by a recovering defender. Big chance for Messi from the free kick.
Philadelphia Union look really up for this, pressing Miami high and playing direct when they get the ball back.
The attacking trio of Gazdag, Uhre and Baribo is working well.
Sensational start for the Union!
Within 60 seconds the visitors are ahead, Mikkel Uhre firing into the bottom corner from the edge of the box. There was too much space on the edge of the Miami box there.
As expected, Sergio Busquets is moved back into midfield as Miami abandon the back-three. Hector Martinez and Tomas Aviles start as central defenders.
And we're off!
Inter Miami get things underway at Chase Stadium.
The teams are out!
The players of Inter Miami and Philadelphia Union enter to a packed stadium. There's a change of formation for Inter Miami, reverting to the 4-3-3 that served them well at the start of the season.
In goal for the Union, 18-year-old Andrew Rick.
Inter Miami put through their paces ahead of kick-off
They may have opened up a seven-point lead at the top of the Supporters' Shield rankings but Inter Miami will not be taking tonight's challenge lightly. Philadelphia Union are scrapping for a playoff place this year but they have been one of the league's most consistent teams over the past eight seasons.
The Union boast several real attacking talents, including captain Daniel Gazdag.
We're nearly ready for the off!
The stands are approaching full capacity at Inter Miami's Chase Stadium and the players are readying themselves for this afternoon's game.
After 62 games out due to injury, Lionel Messi makes his return to the field.
Thunderstorms coming in Miami?
Kick-off is now just 15 minutes away and the anticipation is rising at Chase Stadium. That atmosphere will not be dampened, despite the dark clouds on the horizon outside the stadium.
Inter Miami prepare to take on Philadelphia Union. / MEGAN BRIGGS / Getty Images via AFP
Lionel Messi is back on the field
In the last few minutes Lionel Messi emerged from the tunnel at Chase Stadium to a very warm reception from the home crowd. He was looked relaxed ahead of kick-off as he goes through his paces alongside Luis Suarez.
The expectations were high for Inter Miami in 2024 and they are on course to do something truly historic in MLS. If they continue their current rate the Herons will break the single-season record for MLS points.
Watch: Lionel Messi's return to training
Earlier this week Lionel Messi was said to be suffering flu-like symptoms and was training alone, throwing his availability this weekend in doubt. But things improved on Friday as Lionel Messi was back with his team mates, looking ready for his return.
Tai Baribo looks to continue scoring form
Philadelphia Union were made to sweat over the fitness of striker Tai Baribo ahead of the trip to Inter Miami. Baribo was fit enough to be named in the starting XI and he'll be looking to add to his tally for the season.
The striker has scored 14 goals in 19 goals so far in 2024, a career-best tally for the 26-year-old.
The return of their captain isn't the only piece of good news for Inter Miami supporters this week. The club has announced the opening date for the new stadium - Miami Freedom Park - which will replace their temporary Chase Stadium home.
He's a closer look at the new stadium...
Lionel Messi returns for Inter Miami
"He has been training quite well and we always felt that Philadelphia was the game to return to.”
“To get back the best player in the world to our team, which was already on a good run, we are all very happy with this situation.”
And here's the Union
The visitors are looking relaxed as they arrive at Chase Stadium. Of course, we're expecting a sell-out crowd In Southern Florida this evening but this won't be a procession for Inter Miami.
Philadelphia Union are one of the most experienced and consistent sides in MLS, a real test for the high-flying Herons this evening.
Lionel Messi in the house in Miami!
It's taken a while, but Lionel Messi is finally ready to step back onto the field for Inter Miami. He was seen strolling in alongside Luis Suarez just minutes ago, the Uruguayan sipping his customary mate drink.
Tata Martino will be delighted to have his superstar strikeforce reunited.
Philadelphia starting XI to face Inter Miami
Here's how Jim Curtin lines up this evening. There's plenty of attacking fire power with Gazdag, Baribo, Uhre and Sullivan in the starting XI at Chase Stadium.
No Andre Blake in goal, though. He misses out due to injury and 18-year-old Andrew Rick starts in his place.
Here's a closer look at the decisions facing Tata Martino ahead of this week's game. He's opted to field Lionel Messi from the start, forcing a change from a team that's been in imperious form of late.
Lionel Messi starts for Inter Miami!
He's back. Inter Miami welcome back captain Lionel Messi to the starting XI for tonight's game against Philadelphia.
Throwback: Afonso solo goal hands Miami three points
Here's a look back at the last time these two side met. Earlier in the year a nine-man Inter Miami secured an incredible victory over the Philadelphia Union, thanks to this goal from Leo Afonso.
MLS fixture schedule
We're in for a thrilling night of action in MLS with big derby games across the league. Cincinnati take on Columbus Crew in the Hell is Real Debry, while LAFC and LA Galaxy go head-to-head in a table-topping El Trafico.
Right here, we'll be focused on the action from Chase Stadium as Inter Miami look to continue their impressive recent form against the Union.
While we await team news from Miami, let's take a look at the selection headaches facing Herons head coach Tata Martino.
With Lionel Messi added to the deep attacking talent, who will mis out against the Philadelphia Union?
Philly in Miami
The skies are cloudy at Chase Stadium but that won't dampen the excitement ahead of this clash. The Philadelphia Union have been one of MLS' best teams throughout Jim Curtin's decade-long tenure as head coach and they have the experience and the quality to hurt any team in the league.
Lionel Messi is back for Inter Miami
We'll get the ball rolling with the big news ahead of kick-off. After more than three months away, Lionel Messi returns to the Inter Miami matchday squad this evening.
We're still awaiting confirmed team news from Chase Stadium. Will Messi feature from the start or is he destined to enter as a substitute? We'll find out shortly...
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of Inter Miami - Philadelphia Union in MLS.
Miami come into this game on an incredible run of form, winning ten of their last 13 games and on track to beat the single-season MLS points record. Could things get any better for the Herons?
Yes. They're preparing to welcome back Lionel Messi. We could be in for a cracker tonight...