Lionel Messi made his highly anticipated Bay Area debut on Saturday night, resulting in a thrilling 3-3 draw between Inter Miami and the San Jose Earthquakes. The exhibition attracted a sellout crowd of 18,000 enthusiastic fans. From Chicago, to D.C., to L.A., fans waited for hours in deep lines, each one longing to be one of the lucky few to lay their eyes on the soccer superstar.
To say that the intensity grew from the first whistle would be an understatement. Inter Miami struck just 35 seconds into the game, with Maximiliano Falcon heading in a cross from Jordi Alba after a corner kick. This early goal would pave the way to a match full of end-to-end scoring. The Earthquakes were fast to respond, getting right into action! Cristian Arango opened the scoring just two minutes in, finishing off a Cristian Espinoza assist. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, this event is extraordinary. It was just the second time in MLS history that both squads scored within the opening three minutes!
Messi’s first touches were important, including a couple of great chances in the first half to open the scoring. He almost scored a moment later, taking a pass in the box on another counter while avoiding multiple defenders. Late in the half, he couldn’t get one from about 25 yards out over the wall and into the net. His hard work truly did pay off! He assisted on Tadeo Allende‘s 52nd-minute goal that made it 2-2 and brought the Stars back from a two-goal deficit.
The game kept producing fireworks as both teams scored and scored again. In the 37th minute, Ian Harkes restored the Quakes lead. Only seven minutes later, Allende hit back and equalized the match. The exhilarating, back-and-forth nature of the game had fans on the edge of their seats, highlighting the skill and determination from both sides.
Then in stoppage time, Messi pounced on a clear-cut chance to secure the win for Inter Miami. Earthquakes goalkeeper Daniel De Sousa Britto thwarted him with an impressive close-range stop. Although it was a near-miss, Messi’s performance was enough to be applauded by fans who packed the stands for his highly-anticipated debut.
The excitement surrounding Messi’s presence went further than just the match day. His visit to the Bay Area quickly transformed into an exhilarating multiday event. With our block party all aglow on Tuesday night, supporters of Inter Miami CF were already getting in line outside their team’s hotel, waiting for their chance to spot the soccer legend.
