Sports Desk, Feb 26 (EFE).- Lionel Messi struck during injury time of the second half to salvage a 1-1 draw against the Los Angeles Galaxy in the Major League Soccer on Sunday.
LA Galaxy, playing their first match of the season, dominated Miami and took the lead through Serbian striker Dejan Joveljic before the visitors came back strong in the last few minutes to return with a point.
Former La Masia graduate Riqui Puig, who shared the LaLiga trophy with Messi, Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba in the 2018–19 season, combined with Ghanaian Joseph Paintsil to leave the star-studded Miami in trouble.
Puig also had the chance to put Galaxy ahead in the 12th minute after Busquets fouled Paintsil to concede a penalty.
Puig sent the ball to the left side of Miami goalkeeper Drake Callender, who saved the penalty in a great act of reflex.
The match, in a packed Dignity Health Sports Park stadium, saw Messi play very disconnected from Suarez.
Messi, who was playing his second match in ‘The City of Stars’, after facing Los Angeles FC in September last year, however, could reinvent his magic with Alba that earned them so many goals during their time at Barcelona.
Following Joveljic’s strike from a rebound in the 75th minute, Messi and Alba responded with the latter sending an inch-perfect cross for the Argentine talisman to score from the edge of the box.
Messi could have won the game for Miami a minute later if he had not sent the ball wide.
Despite the miss, he left the field applauded by thousands of fans sporting his iconic number 10 jersey. EFE
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