Messi scores as Inter Miami draws

The hopes of Argentine star Lionel Messi and his Inter Miami team of overtaking Nashville at the top of the Eastern Conference in Major League Soccer suffered a major blow after the defending champions drew 2-2 with visitors San Diego in Florida. Danish striker Anders Dreyer scored twice (12th and 82nd minutes) to secure a point for San Diego at Miami’s Kaseya Center, leaving Inter Miami 11 points behind Nashville with eight regular-season matches remaining (57 points for Nashville, 46 for Inter Miami). Inter Miami, recently crowned champions of the Leagues Cup, continued to drop points, falling into their fourth consecutive draw in the league since their emphatic 7-1 victory over Montreal on August 30. Dreyer opened the scoring 12 minutes after the whistle, capitalizing on a brilliant pass from compatriot Jeppe Tverskov, who lofted the ball skillfully over Canadian goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair. Inter Miami, who dominated possession for long periods, equalized in the 24th minute when Messi scored his 101st goal for the club since arriving in MLS in 2023 from French side Paris Saint-Germain. The 39-year-old Messi curled a superb free kick from the edge of the penalty area that struck the inside of the post and found the net (24th). Luis Suárez broke the deadlock when he received a pass from De Paul on the edge of the box and fired the veteran, also 39, powerfully into the goal (74th). Tverskov found Dreyer again with a precise through ball over the defenders, and the Dane calmly finished the move to restore parity (82nd).