Until he didn’t.
Intercepting a pass by Riqui Puig in the Galaxy’s half of the field, Messi played a couple of successive one-twos with longtime partner Jordi Alba and slid into a slanted return pass to redirect it past goalie John McCarthy.
The packed house erupted with euphoria.
Never mind that visiting Inter Miami had just leveled the score. If only for an instant, the announced crowd of 27,642 fans at Dignity Health Sports Park watched the 36-year-old Messi perform the kind of sorcery that made him the most decorated player in the world’s most competitive sport.