FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Lionel Messi, playing his first game in nearly a month, showed no signs of rust, scoring an equalizing goal for Inter Miami 13 minutes after entering the game in the second half against the Colorado Rapids Saturday night. Minutes later, he helped set up a go-ahead goal for Leo Afonso.

But the Messi magic was not enough.

A defensive lapse in the 88th minute led to a goal by Colorado’s Cole Bassett and Messi and his teammates had to settle for a 2-2 tie.

Pink fireworks filled the sky over Chase Stadium as the near-sellout crowd went wild when Messi scored his goal — his fourth MLS goal this season and sixth overall. More than 20,000 fans, most in Messi’s pink No. 10 shirts, began chanting “Messi! Messi!” when the Argentine star began warming up at the end of the first half.

When he entered the game at the start of the second half, the decibel level rose to a whole new level, as did the level of play. And when he scored, off a perfect cross from fellow Argentine Franco Negri, it was complete bedlam.

Messi not only scored, he made everyone around him better.

Minutes after his goal, he got the ball to David Ruiz, who sent in a cross to Afonso for the go-ahead goal; and just like that Inter Miami took a 2-1 lead over the Rapids in the 60th minute.

Messi returned to the active roster Saturday after missing four games in a row, but he was on the bench for the start of the home game against Colorado Rapids, along with his former Barcelona teammates Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets.

Coach Tata Martino benched most of his regular starting lineup for the league game, which is sandwiched between the two legs of the Champions Cup quarterfinal series against Mexican club Monterrey. Miami lost the first game 2-1 on Wednesday and the teams meet again Wednesday in Monterrey.

Messi had not played since March 13 due to a hamstring strain. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner missed three league games, two Argentina national team friendlies and the first leg of Monterrey Champions Cup series.

Messi scored three goals in three matches to start the regular season and has five goals including Champions Cup. Suarez has seven goals overall, five assists and five MLS goals, including Miami’s only goal in a 1-1 tie with New York City FC last week. Suarez on Friday was named MLS Player of the Month for February/March.

Colorado coach Chris Armas said he is planning for all scenarios against a Miami team that has had radically different lineups. On Saturday, the Miami starters were: Drake Callender, Tomas Aviles, Ryan Sailor, Noah Allen, Negri, Julian Gressel, Ruiz, Lawson Sunderland, Leo Campana, Shanyder Borgelin and Afonso.

Miami was missing Robert Taylor, who strained a hamstring and is expected to miss 10 days. By the end of the game , Busquets, Alba and Marcelo Weigandt had come on as subs.

“Not sure exactly how they line up; we know they’ve done different things,” Armas said. “Three in the back, four in the back, with Messi, without Messi, but regardless they’re a really good team and an even better team at home.”

Messi returned to the roster amid a controversy involving the Argentine star and Mexican club Monterrey, Miami’s quarterfinal opponent in the Champions Cup.

Monterrey filed a formal complaint with CONCACAF against Inter Miami on Thursday regarding a heated verbal exchange between Messi and Monterrey coach Fernando “Tano” Ortiz in a Chase Stadium hallway after Inter Miami’s 2-1 loss on Wednesday night.

The complaint also mentions Suarez and Alba, who supported Messi in the dispute, according to Mexican media reports and reports by tournament rights-holders TUDN and Fox Sports journalist Fernando Schwartz.

Monterrey is seeking sanctions against the team and the players involved and would like a resolution before the second and decisive leg of the two-game series April 10 in Monterrey.

The clash was apparently fueled by an Ortiz interview in the days leading to Wednesday’s suggesting that the officiating could be biased in favor of Inter Miami because Messi is on the team and he drives business.

“Everything that surrounds Messi can lead to sporting and non-sporting decisions”, the Monterrey coach said.

Asked if he thought his club would be at a disadvantage, he said: “Obviously, I don’t know if it would harm us, but we all know sports is business and the business is not about us. In terms of things on the field we are going to do what we must do to win. Afterwards, I can’t handle other things.”

As it turned out, Inter Miami had a player ejected with a red card and had six players issued yellow cards while Monterrey had three players get yellow cards.

According to TUDN and the Fox Sports report, Messi, Suarez, Alba and Martino approached referee Walter Lopez after the game to question some calls, particularly the second yellow card and expulsion of Miami midfielder Ruiz. Both Monterrey goals were scored with Miami down a man.

After protesting to the referee, Messi, Suarez and Alba found themselves in close quarters with Ortiz, and an argument erupted.

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