Lionel Messi returns to Inter Miami, but too late

Lionel Messi returned to his happy place Saturday night, and like clockwork, the camera phones came out, and the Inter Miami fans bowed in reverence.

But relief and excitement were short-lived. After 35 largely uneventful minutes, and one FC Cincinnati goal, Miami was eliminated from MLS playoff contention.

And just like that, mere weeks after Messi hype raged, a half-season that started so promisingly fizzled out into disappointment. It had been deflated by Messi’s mysterious injury. Miami had been climbing out of a pre-Messi hole, but with his status uncertain, that climb slowed – and then stopped, for good.

And stopped on Saturday, finally, agonisingly, in pouring Miami rain. Messi, after missing four games, began on the bench. He entered a 0-0 game in the 55th minute, knowing he needed a goal to keep Miami’s playoff hopes alive.

Instead, he floated two free kicks over the bar.

He drifted into and out of space, as he always does, but didn’t look like his typically magical and sprightly self on the ball.

Inter Miami had struck the post three times in the first half before Messi entered. They looked to accelerate when their Captain entered. But instead, they sputtered — and Cincinnati broke the deadlock.