Reported by Simon Daniel Yusuph l Journalist at Weng Global
Lionel Messi reached another major career milestone on Sunday night, scoring from a free-kick as Inter Miami were held to a 2-2 draw by San Diego FC in Major League Soccer.
The September 20 encounter at Nu Stadium saw Messi cancel out an early goal from San Diego forward Anders Dreyer before Luis Suárez put Inter Miami ahead in the second half. Dreyer later scored again to secure a point for the visitors.
Messi’s free-kick goal was reported by El Gráfico as the Argentine’s 930th career goal in professional football, while his strike also moved him to 20 goals in the 2026 MLS regular season.
The result extended Inter Miami’s run of draws in MLS and denied new head coach Kily González a victory in his first league match in charge.
San Diego Take Early Lead
San Diego made the stronger start and went ahead in the 12th minute through Dreyer.
The Danish forward received a through ball from captain Jeppe Tverskov before advancing into the Inter Miami penalty area and lifting the ball over goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair.
The goal forced Inter Miami to chase the game early, but Messi soon became increasingly influential in the home side’s attacking play.
Miami’s response came in the 24th minute.
The hosts won a free-kick on the right side, and Messi stepped up to take responsibility. His curling delivery travelled through the penalty area and found the far side of the net, leaving San Diego goalkeeper CJ dos Santos unable to prevent the equaliser. Inter Miami’s official match report recorded the goal as Messi’s 20th in the MLS season.
The teams went into halftime level at 1-1.
Suárez Puts Inter Miami Ahead
Inter Miami increased the pressure after the restart as the home side looked for a second goal.
Their persistence eventually paid off in the 74th minute.
Rodrigo De Paul produced the decisive pass into the area for Suárez, who finished with his right foot to give Inter Miami a 2-1 advantage.
The goal was Suárez’s 13th of the MLS regular season, while De Paul’s assist took his league total to 12 for the campaign, according to Inter Miami’s official match report.
With less than 20 minutes remaining, Miami appeared positioned to claim all three points.
San Diego, however, responded quickly.
Dreyer Strikes Again to Rescue Point
Dreyer completed his brace in the 82nd minute, finding the equaliser and restoring parity at 2-2.
The second goal came after San Diego exploited space behind the Inter Miami defence, allowing Dreyer to finish the opportunity and deny the hosts a late victory.
Inter Miami pushed for a winner in the closing stages.
Messi remained involved in the attack and came close to scoring again during stoppage time, but San Diego goalkeeper CJ dos Santos made a crucial save to keep the score level.
San Diego also threatened to snatch all three points late in the match, but St. Clair prevented the visitors from converting their final opportunity.
The match therefore ended 2-2.
Messi Reaches Another Milestone
Beyond the result, the match added another milestone to Messi’s extraordinary scoring record.
According to El Gráfico, the free-kick against San Diego took Messi’s professional career tally to 930 goals. The figure includes goals accumulated across his club and international career according to the publication’s counting method.
Separately, the Associated Press reported that the goal was Messi’s 101st for Inter Miami and his 20th in the MLS season. Messi had scored his 100th goal for the club only four days earlier in Inter Miami’s 2-0 Campeones Cup victory over Cruz Azul.
The latest milestone therefore came only days after another landmark moment in his Inter Miami career.
Messi’s continued scoring also keeps him among the leading attacking players in the 2026 MLS campaign. Inter Miami’s official statistics show that the Argentine is leading the club’s scoring efforts in the league.
Inter Miami Extend Draw Run
The 2-2 result was another frustrating outcome for Inter Miami.
According to the Associated Press, the draw was the club’s fourth consecutive tie in MLS play. The result left Miami with a league record of 12 wins, four defeats and 10 draws for 46 points.
The sequence means Inter Miami have continued to collect points but have also dropped opportunities to turn leads into victories.
Sunday’s match followed a similar pattern.
Miami recovered from an early deficit, took control of the contest and moved ahead through Suárez, only for San Diego to find a late equaliser.
For San Diego, the result ended a three-match losing streak and provided a valuable away point. The visitors entered the match outside the Western Conference playoff positions and needed a positive result to remain in contention.
New Era Under Kily González
The match also marked González’s first MLS game as Inter Miami’s manager.
Although his side did not secure victory, Inter Miami produced enough attacking opportunities to score twice. The main concern was their inability to protect the advantage after Suárez’s 74th-minute goal.
The draw therefore provided a mixed beginning to González’s MLS tenure, with Miami showing attacking quality but again conceding a late goal.
Messi, Suárez and De Paul remained central to the team’s attacking production, while the defensive lapses that allowed Dreyer to score twice prevented Miami from claiming the result.
Why the Result Matters
The draw has implications beyond Messi’s latest personal milestone.
For Inter Miami, the immediate challenge is converting strong attacking performances into victories. The team has continued to score regularly, but repeated draws have limited the number of points gained from matches in which Miami has taken the lead.
For Messi, meanwhile, the latest goal adds to an already extensive collection of career milestones.
His 20 MLS goals this season demonstrate that he remains a significant scoring presence in North America’s top professional league, while his 101 goals for Inter Miami underline the speed with which he has built his record since joining the club.
The San Diego match also demonstrated his continuing influence on Miami’s attacking play. His equalising free-kick changed the momentum of the game after the visitors had taken an early lead.
What Happens Next
Inter Miami will return to MLS action on September 27 when they travel to face Columbus Crew.
San Diego FC are scheduled to return to action against Austin FC on September 26.
For Inter Miami, the next fixture will provide an opportunity to turn their recent sequence of draws into a victory as the MLS regular season enters its later stages.
Messi will also remain at the centre of attention as he continues his pursuit of further individual milestones and contributes to Inter Miami’s push in the Eastern Conference.
The 2-2 draw against San Diego ultimately produced another memorable Messi moment, but the result also highlighted an issue Inter Miami must address: protecting leads and turning promising performances into three-point results.
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Sources
- Inter Miami CF — Official match report on the 2-2 draw with San Diego FC.
- Associated Press — Report on Lionel Messi’s 101st Inter Miami goal and the 2-2 draw.
- AFP — Report on Messi and Suárez scoring in Inter Miami’s draw with San Diego.
- El Gráfico — Report on Messi reaching 930 professional career goals.
- Field Level Media — Match report on Anders Dreyer’s brace and San Diego’s 2-2 draw.
