Lionel Messi's first appearance for Inter Miami since Argentina's World Cup triumph ended without the fairytale finish, as his club were held to a 2-2 draw at home by Columbus Crew on Saturday night — a result remembered as much for a costly error from one of Miami's own new arrivals as for the captain's comeback.
The biggest storyline belonged to Casemiro. The Brazilian midfielder, one of Inter Miami's marquee summer signings, was making his home debut when he turned a clearance into his own net in the 34th minute. It was his first own goal at club level since 2011, when he was still coming through at São Paulo, and it dragged Columbus level just as Miami looked to be cruising.
Miami had led through a moment of real quality. Luis Suárez chipped in a long-range strike in the 16th minute to open the scoring, his 10th league goal of the season — a return that makes him only the fifth player in MLS history to record 10-plus goals and five-plus assists in each of his first three seasons in the league.
Noah Allen restored Miami's advantage right at the end of the first half, heading home from a Suárez assist in stoppage time to make it 2-1 at the break. It looked for a while like it might be enough to hold off a Columbus side missing several regulars on international duty of its own.
Messi and Rodrigo De Paul, both back in South Florida after Argentina's World Cup campaign, were named among the substitutes rather than starting. Messi came on in the 53rd minute to a rousing reception at Chase Stadium but could not add the goal that would have completed the story, going close but failing to beat David Ochoa in the Columbus goal.
Columbus would not be denied an equaliser of their own. Brais Méndez, the Spanish playmaker signed from Real Sociedad for a club-record fee just weeks earlier, curled home a free kick in the 84th minute to make it 2-2 and snatch a point on the road — his first goal since arriving in MLS.
The draw stretched Inter Miami's unbeaten run to seven matches, a stat the club will take some comfort from even as questions linger over Casemiro's settling-in period following his high-profile move. The team is currently being run on an interim basis by sporting director Guillermo Hoyos, who took charge after Javier Mascherano's resignation earlier this year.
Attention now turns quickly to continental competition: Inter Miami host Atlético de San Luis on Wednesday in the opening phase of the 2026 Leagues Cup, with Messi expected to push for a full return to the starting lineup.
