CHESTER, Pa. — Lionel Messi scored his 13th goal of the season and added an assist, but Inter Miami CF surrendered a lead and settled for a 2-2 draw against the Philadelphia Union at Subaru Park in a match that showcased both the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner and 16-year-old American prospect Cavan Sullivan.
Messi’s goal in the 26th minute gave the Herons a 2-1 lead after the Argentine found an inch of space away from Union defender Kai Wagner. The finish raised his season total to 22 goal contributions in league play.
“I don’t know how he gets that out of his feet to find the finish, but that is why he is the greatest player ever,” Union interim head coach Ryan Richter said. “He doesn’t need space to find a goal.”
Sullivan, who has emerged as one of the brightest young talents in Major League Soccer, recorded a secondary assist on Indiana Vassilev’s opening goal in the 11th minute. The 16-year-old now has 1 goal and 7 assists in 11 starts and has been a central figure in the Union’s five-match unbeaten run since the World Cup break. Sullivan had two assists in a come-from-behind 3-2 win at New York City FC days earlier.
The match ended with fireworks. A scuffle between Miami defender Ian Fray and Cavan’s older brother Quinn Sullivan led to tempers boiling over between Herons midfielder Yannick Bright and Cavan Sullivan. Despite a significant height and age difference, the teenager held his ground before both he and Bright were sent off.
“The push we made in the second half, we showed ourselves and the rest of the league that we can hang with any team,” Richter said. “Not the result we wanted, because when we are at home, we go for wins… but the performance, the way we battled, the way we attacked the second half, really proud of that.”
The draw keeps Inter Miami in the Supporters’ Shield race, while Sullivan’s continued production strengthens his case for a spot on Mauricio Pochettino’s next U.S. men’s national team roster in the fall.