Lionel Messi scored an equalizer with a free kick in the MLS match against Columbus Crew.
Inter Miami were away in Columbus, Ohio, and the goal became a moment that restored balance to the flow of the match.
However, this report did not include the match’s final score.
3-Line Summary
1. Messi’s free-kick equalizer against Columbus
2. Inter Miami were playing an away match
3. The final result is not included in the report
A Free Kick That Defied the Goalkeeper’s Prediction
The soccer outlet OneFootball reported that Messi gave his team an equalizer with a free-kick goal in the match between Columbus and Inter Miami on September 28. According to the report, the opposing goalkeeper expected a cross, but Messi made a different choice and aimed directly at the goal.
A free kick is a moment in which the position of the defensive wall, the goalkeeper’s judgment, and the trajectory of the kick come together in an instant. This goal stood out not simply because a shot went into the goal, but because Messi made a choice different from the attacking method the opponent had anticipated. By creating the equalizer, Messi gave Inter Miami an opportunity to turn around the momentum after falling behind in the away match.
OneFootball reported that the goal left Messi just two goals short of the all-time record for most free-kick goals. However, the article did not identify the record holder or state the exact cumulative goal total. What can be confirmed is that this goal added significance to Messi’s competition for an individual record as well.
An Away Trip to Columbus for the 13th Meeting
Before the match, Inter Miami introduced the matchup with Columbus Crew as the 13th in club history. According to the club’s announcement, Inter Miami had won 7 of the previous meetings, Columbus had won 3, and the remaining two matches had ended in draws. Inter Miami entered the match aiming to extend their unbeaten run against Columbus to 4 consecutive matches.
The teams’ previous meeting was an MLS regular-season match held in Miami in early August, and it ended 2-2. This match also showed that, rather than one side easily establishing an advantage from the outset, the game could develop in a way where a single moment—such as Messi’s free-kick equalizer—could change the balance.
Before the match, Inter Miami were 2nd in the Eastern Conference, and the club said Messi had recorded 20 goals and 13 assists in the league. The club also announced that 19-year-old Brazilian winger Riquelme Filippi, signed earlier this month, had completed the necessary employment-document procedures and could make his debut that weekend. This meant that he was eligible to make his debut, not that his appearance had been confirmed.
The clearly confirmed moment from this matchup is that Messi made the score level with a free kick. Assessing the overall winner and loser of the match requires separate confirmation reporting the final result.
References
Tags #ColumbusCrew #InterMiami #LionelMessi #MessiFreeKick #MLS #USSoccer #ColumbusvsInterMiami #InterMiamiMatch #MessiEqualizer #SoccerFreeKick #EasternConference #RiquelmeFilippi