Kathmandu— Lionel Messi scored his first goal since the death of his father, Jorge, on August 8th, during Wednesday's Major League Soccer (MLS) fixture between Inter Miami and the Philadelphia Union. The Argentine superstar’s curling left-footed shot in the 26th minute gave Miami a temporary lead, but the match ultimately ended in a 2-2 draw at Subaru Park in Pennsylvania. Messi had been without a goal in his previous two matches following his return from Argentina after his father's passing.

Emotional Goal and Tribute

Messi’s goal came after instrumental playmaking that led to Daniel Pinter opening the scoring for Inter Miami just five minutes prior. Receiving a pass from Luis Suarez, Messi skillfully picked out a run down the left flank, setting up Suarez to head the ball across for Pinter's close-range finish. Following his own 26th-minute goal, Messi offered a restrained celebration with teammates, briefly smiling before pointing towards the sky in remembrance of his father.

Match Recap and Result

The Philadelphia Union responded quickly, with Indiana Vassilev scoring in the 11th minute to equalize. Neil Pierre then put the hosts ahead in the 58th minute, but Messi’s goal ensured the match ended level at 2-2. Despite the draw, Inter Miami coach Guillermo Hoyos expressed disappointment. “We came to win but we couldn’t,” he said. “We’re not happy with the draw because we don’t like it, but now we need to try to rest and think about the next game, which is in less than 72 hours.”

League Standings and Recent Form

With his goal, Messi moved into second place on the league’s scoring chart with 13 goals, trailing only Petar Musa of Dallas by three. However, Inter Miami has struggled for results recently, going four matches without a victory and currently sitting seven points behind Eastern Conference leaders Nashville. Nashville secured a 1-0 win against New York Red Bulls on Wednesday.

Inter Miami will look to return to winning ways when they face Toronto FC on Saturday.

(With inputs from Al Jazeera)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.