Lionel Messi scores in return as Inter Miami edge Union

Lionel Messi scored his second goal of the season only two minutes after his entrance as a second-half substitute, and Inter Miami held on for a 2-1 victory over the visiting Philadelphia Union on Saturday night.

Robert Taylor notched his first goal of the season before halftime for Miami (4-0-1, 13 points) in an early-season meeting of the Eastern Conference’s top two teams.

Daniel Gazdag scored in the 80th minute for Philadelphia (4-2-0, 12 points) to prevent the Union from being shut out for the first time this season.

After Gazdag’s tally, Drake Callender went in goal for the injured Oscar Ustari to see off the final few minutes of Miami’s eighth win out of nine in all competitions this season.

Messi missed international duty last week with Argentina over the March international window due to a minor adductor injury.

And he began on the bench with Miami facing a cross-country trip to begin their CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinal against LAFC on Wednesday night.

After entering for Taylor in the 55th minute, Messi found the net on his first opportunity of the evening on an attack that began with Luis Suarez defending in his own half.

Suarez was able to pick up a loose ball and find himself in a 3-on-3, and he first played the ball left to Fafa Picault, who returned the pass.

Then Suarez played Messi on the right, and Messi wove right and then left against defender Ian Glavinovich before driving a low finish beyond Andre Blake and inside the far post.

Twenty-three minutes later, Gazdag hammered a half volley past Ustari for his second of the season after collecting Quinn Sullivan’s cross and taking a touch to collect himself.

Injured Messi ruled out of World Cup qualifiers against Brazil, Uruguay

Philadelphia struggled to create potential game-tying opportunities from there, but Chris Donovan did have an open header from about 12 yards that he sent narrowly wide deep in second-half stoppage time.

Taylor gave Miami the lead on 23 minutes on a well-worked counter.

Jordi Alba ran onto a long ball down the left behind the back line, then swept a cross to Benjamin Cremaschi on the opposite flank.

Cremaschi sent another pass back toward goal on his first touch, and Taylor met it with a one-time sliding finish from close range.