Miami (AFP) – Lionel Messi was knocked to the ground as fans invaded the pitch during chaotic scenes at a match in Puerto Rico on Thursday. Messi was playing for Inter Miami in a friendly against Ecuador’s Independiente del Valle when supporters raced onto the field in the game’s 88th minute. While one fan demanded a selfie with the Argentine great and another asked for his shirt to be signed, a third rushed to embrace Messi from behind. A security guard tackled the fan, who dragged the World Cup winner to the floor. Messi did not appear to be injured in the incident, landing on the fan, before picking himself up and walking away in apparent frustration.
It capped a farcical night for a friendly that started an hour late due to a disagreement over which colors each team should wear. The argument was seemingly never resolved, as both teams ended up playing in black. A penalty kick by Messi gave Miami a 2-1 victory. Messi, who came on as a substitute at the start of the second half, scored the winning goal in the 70th minute. Inter Miami had opened the scoring in the 16th minute with a goal from fellow Argentine Santi Morales. Ecuadorian international Patrik Mercado leveled the score in the 17th minute.
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The friendly was originally scheduled for February 13 but was postponed due to a Messi injury. Nearly 20,000 spectators in Bayamon, on the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico, a US territory, gave the Argentine idol a standing ovation when he finally entered the game. An eight-time Ballon d’Or winner widely considered one of the greatest soccer players of all time, Messi is expected to represent Argentina at a record sixth World Cup this summer. He has not yet officially confirmed he will participate in the tournament, taking place across the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
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