A record crowd of 27,642 packed Dignity Health Sports Park on Sunday to get a look at Lionel Messi and they got what they paid for, with Messi scoring in the second minute of stoppage time to give Inter Miami a 1-1 tie with the Galaxy.
Messi’s goal came after Riqui Puig turned the ball over deep in the Galaxy end. Messi and former Barcelona teammate Jordi Alba then worked a pair of give-and-goes that ended with Messi sliding to his knees to score from the center of the box.
The score came five minutes after Galaxy midfielder Mark Delgado was given a second yellow card and expelled by referee Gabriele Ciampi, a replacement for the regular MLS officials who have been locked out, who allowed it to stand.