James NaltonBy James Nalton.
Sky blue shirts celebrated as James Sands headed a late equaliser to earn New York City a regular season point from Major League Soccer’s latest Lionel Messi show. Some of them were the sky blue of New York City, but a handful of them in the crowd might have even been the blue of Messi’s Argentina, revelling in the late drama of the sport, and the local team, even though on this occasion it didn’t involve their man. Maybe it involved their new team.
They had already had their Messi moment of sorts. He played his part in a goal scored by Leonardo Campana and assisted by Jordi Alba that for much of the game looked like it would be the game-winner.
Yankee Stadium was filled in anticipation of Messi’s presence — a rare occurrence for a soccer game as the player many consider the greatest of all time played in New York City for the first time. The attendance of 44,738 was the second highest in franchise history, behind the 48,047 attendance for a Hudson River Deby against New York Red Bulls in 2015.
Amid the Argentina shirts, there were some pink Inter Miami jerseys, too, but there was also plenty of partisan support for the home team.
Messi has his admirers in New York City, and his name was cheered loudly as it was read out among the other starters pre-match, but this was not the same as when Pelé played for the New York Cosmos.
Pele’s appearances in NYC and the surrounding area were celebrations of his soccer combined with support for the team he played for. The Cosmos were a team littered with star names, of which Pelé was the biggest. He played for the City’s team. He was embraced by New York and by those who turned up to watch him play.
Comparisons can be made with Pelé at the Cosmos and Messi’s move to Inter Miami, but they are not identical situations, neither for the player nor for the American soccer environment in which they arrived.
Still, Messi appearing in the American city Pelé once called home feels notable. One of Pelé’s most iconic moments in US soccer was a memorable overhead kick scored at Yankee Stadium for the Cosmos, aptly enough against a team from Miami — the Toros.
Throughout history, New York City has hosted some of soccer’s greatest players. Tomorrow it welcomes Lionel Messi to a sold-out Yankee Stadium for Inter Miami vs NYCFC. Here’s a Pelé goal in an 8-2 New York Cosmos win vs Miami Toros at the stadium in 1976. pic.twitter.com/hgSfbs3BWX
— James Nalton (@JDNalton) September 20, 2024
Messi’s first appearance in NYC came at the same stadium but as a member of the opposition from Miami. It was a highly anticipated occasion but New York City FC’s hardcore fans made sure everyone knew they were backing the home team and its players.
Messi has played in the New York City metropolitan area before for Inter Miami and Argentina, but these games were at New Jersey venues — the Red Bull Arena in Harrison and the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford.
A banner in the New York City supporters’ section before the game read: “Don’t be plastic! Messi sold separately. Support your local team.”
Barbie-themed banner on show at Yankee Stadium ahead of New York City FC vs Inter Miami.
“Don’t be plastic! Miami fan. Messi sold separately. Support your local club.” #NYCFC pic.twitter.com/zwdagEqQuN
— James Nalton (@JDNalton) September 21, 2024
Messi was jeered by a group of NYCFC fans on arrival, and there were Bronx cheers in the Bronx to go with the obvious admiration for an all-time great in parts of Yankee Stadium.
While Miami is flying high looking to break regular season records, the home side New York City FC is stuck in a winless rut.
NYCFC goalkeeper Matt Freese has been one of the standout players in MLS this season but had a rare off day in New York City’s 5-1 defeat to Philadelphia Union in midweek. Given how much he’s saved NYCFC during this season, he can be excused. Even then, all the goals conceded in that collapse cannot be pinned solely on him.
If anything it highlighted how important he has been to New York City this season. If not for Freeze, there could have been more scorelines like that.
Regardless, it was hardly good preparation for a meeting with an Inter Miami team that has Messi back in its ranks following an absence of a few months due to a combination of a Copa America call-up and an injury suffered at that tournament.
A breathless first half somehow didn’t produce a goal. Or even a decent chance. It was a fairly open, back-and-forth game, but no player could find the space and time to make something happen. New York City’s Santi Rodriguez came closest, hitting the post with a free kick. Messi saw one of his own fly past the frame of the goal and a diving Freese, just off target.
The second half was scrappy and tempers flared. Miami threatened to lose their discipline, picking up a flurry of yellow cards, but the only red was shown to a member of staff on the Miami bench, Gerardo Martino Junior.
Messi was involved in an ongoing war of words with NYCFC center-back Thiago Martins that demonstrated how competitive this match was, even for just a regular season game.
It was frantic at times, but the best players can slow games down in moments. This happened for Miami’s goal as Messi found a pocket of space and then made the familiar pass left to the overlapping former Barcelona teammate Jordi Alba.
Alba crossed to Leonardo Campana, and just like that, the game looked to be won. Messi continued to chirp in the ear of Martins, no doubt updating him on the score.
Messi was not the glaringly obvious star player he was on his arrival in the Leagues Cup, US Open Cup, and in bursts in MLS at the end of 2023 as a recent Ballon d’Or winner, but he is still a difference maker in 2024.
Those New York City fans who were more Thiago Martins in spirit than Lionel Messi would have something to celebrate late on in dramatic fashion when local boy Sands, who hails from Rye, NY, headed in the equaliser from Santi Rodriguez’s corner in the game’s dying minutes.
JAMES WITH HIS FIRST @MLS GOAL pic.twitter.com/eqrMUBrgtb
— New York City FC (@newyorkcityfc) September 21, 2024
Yankee Stadium had an NYCFC moment to go with its Messi magic.
NYCFC remain nine games without a win in MLS, but there was some positivity in the way the draw was salvaged against Miami. They will hope they can be similarly inspired once the knockout games begin in the MLS Playoffs.
One player who certainly will be inspired by the prospect of an MLS Cup is Messi. His team can still break the all-time MLS regular season points record, but his part in that has been just a bit-part having missed so much of the season.
The playoffs are Messi’s. It will be in the post-season where Messi will be expected to step up.
On this evidence in New York City, where he was competitive, annoying his opponents, and still managing to play a major part in goals through his unmatched talent, he could well do as expected.
