Casemiro scored an own goal as messi returned to action

<p class="ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10" style="white-space: normal; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.3); margin: 16px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-width: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: ReithSans, Helvetica, Arial, freesans, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: rgb(24, 24, 24); -webkit-text-size-adjust: none;">Messi had not played competitively since captaining his country in their 1-0 loss on 19 July. The 39-year-old scored eight goals and registered four assists during the tournament.<p class="ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10" style="white-space: normal; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.3); margin: 16px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-width: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: ReithSans, Helvetica, Arial, freesans, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: rgb(24, 24, 24); -webkit-text-size-adjust: none;">The forward was given a huge ovation by the Inter Miami home fans when he came on in the 53rd minute as his side led the Major League Soccer match 2-1.<p class="ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10" style="white-space: normal; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.3); margin: 16px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-width: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: ReithSans, Helvetica, Arial, freesans, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: rgb(24, 24, 24); -webkit-text-size-adjust: none;">He immediately had a chance but, from an acute angle, fired a left-foot shot into the side-netting.<p class="ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10" style="white-space: normal; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.3); margin: 16px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-width: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: ReithSans, Helvetica, Arial, freesans, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: rgb(24, 24, 24); -webkit-text-size-adjust: none;">Another opportunity quickly came Messi's way but, after chesting down a Luis Suarez ball, he shot just wide.<p class="ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10" style="white-space: normal; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.3); margin: 16px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-width: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: ReithSans, Helvetica, Arial, freesans, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: rgb(24, 24, 24); -webkit-text-size-adjust: none;">Miami had taken the lead through Suarez's audacious long range chipped strike for his seventh goal in four games.<p class="ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10" style="white-space: normal; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.3); margin: 16px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-width: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: ReithSans, Helvetica, Arial, freesans, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: rgb(24, 24, 24); -webkit-text-size-adjust: none;">Brazil midfielder Casemiro, who joined Miami in July after leaving Manchester United, inadvertently equalised for Columbus when he put the ball into his own net as he stretched to block a cross.<p class="ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10" style="white-space: normal; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.3); margin: 16px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-width: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: ReithSans, Helvetica, Arial, freesans, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: rgb(24, 24, 24); -webkit-text-size-adjust: none;">But Noah Allen headed the home side back in front before Brais Mendez curled in an 84th minute free-kick on his debut to earn Columbus Crew a draw.<p class="ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10" style="white-space: normal; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.3); margin: 16px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-width: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: ReithSans, Helvetica, Arial, freesans, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: rgb(24, 24, 24); -webkit-text-size-adjust: none;">Messi had a couple of chances for a winner in added time but put a looping header narrowly wide before sending a right-foot shot over the bar.

Gianni Infantino: What next for Fifa and its under-pressure president? - BBC Sport

<p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-width: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; white-space: normal; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.3); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">A week is a long time in politics. Football politics. <p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-width: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; white-space: normal; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.3); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">On Tuesday morning, Gianni Infantino was in an impregnable position as Fifa president, the most powerful job in football.<p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-width: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; white-space: normal; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.3); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Now, after trying to sell stakes in Fifa competitions to private investments firms - apparently without the knowledge of anyone else - Infantino's position appears to be under threat. <p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-width: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; white-space: normal; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.3); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Uefa - Infantino's fiercest critic - dealt its trump card on Thursday by threatening to boycott all Fifa competitions, including the World Cup.<p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-width: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; white-space: normal; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.3); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Now European football's governing body senses the opportunity to remove Infantino - and this is likely to be the best chance it will ever get.<p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-width: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; white-space: normal; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.3); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">But they're far from the only unhappy federation. <p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-width: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; white-space: normal; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.3); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Concacaf, the confederation Infantino worked so closely with to organise the 2026 World Cup, has called for a "full review" into the leadership of Fifa in light of Infantino's plan. <p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-width: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; white-space: normal; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.3); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Even more damaging, loyal countries in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) shunned him too.<p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-width: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; white-space: normal; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.3); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Then he was abandoned by two of his closest allies - <a href="https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/ce345l6kg6ro">first senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro</a>and <a href="https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/c2dkj03jp34o">then chief operating officer Kevin Lamour.</a><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-width: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; white-space: normal; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.3); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">After Infantino backtracked in the early hours of Saturday morning, Uefa delivered another devastating blow by issuing a strong statement saying it had lost confidence in him.<p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-width: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; white-space: normal; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.3); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">The battles lines have been drawn. What could happen next?

<p style="font-size: 16px; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: &quot;Sky Sports Brand 2026&quot;, &quot;Sky Text&quot;, arial, sans-serif, sans-serif; white-space-collapse: collapse; background-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">However, the 25-year-old was pictured back on the grass at the City Football Academy before City left for the Spanish capital, where they face Real on Wednesday night.<p style="font-size: 16px; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: &quot;Sky Sports Brand 2026&quot;, &quot;Sky Text&quot;, arial, sans-serif, sans-serif; white-space-collapse: collapse; background-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">“I didn’t think to let him play [at Newcastle] and I prefer him training to make a rhythm," said Guardiola when explaining the forward's absence at St James' Park.<p style="font-size: 16px; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: &quot;Sky Sports Brand 2026&quot;, &quot;Sky Text&quot;, arial, sans-serif, sans-serif; white-space-collapse: collapse; background-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">“After injury, when he drops, he always struggles a little bit to have that real, real pace.”<p style="font-size: 16px; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: &quot;Sky Sports Brand 2026&quot;, &quot;Sky Text&quot;, arial, sans-serif, sans-serif; white-space-collapse: collapse; background-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">Meanwhile, there was more good news for City with&nbsp;Mateo Kovacic&nbsp;also spotted back in training.<p style="font-size: 16px; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: &quot;Sky Sports Brand 2026&quot;, &quot;Sky Text&quot;, arial, sans-serif, sans-serif; white-space-collapse: collapse; background-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">The midfielder has made only two appearances this term due to an ankle injury, but Guardiola hopes he will feature before the end of the season.

Casemiro scored an own goal as messi returned to action

Gianni Infantino: What next for Fifa and its under-pressure president? - BBC Sport

Haaland back in training ahead of return in Madrid