NYCFC draws with Inter Miami, Lionel Messi after thrilling stoppage-time goal

James Sands recorded his first MLS goal for New York City FC during stoppage time to help his team salvage a point with a 1-1 draw with Lionel Messi-led Inter Miami on Saturday afternoon at Yankee Stadium.Sands’ goal came in the 95th minute with his club down by one in an important game late in the season as NYCFC is still battling for playoff positioning in the Eastern Conference. The New York City midfielder leaped into the air to head a Santiago Rodríguez corner kick past Drake Callender for the equalizer. The dramatic finish sent the Yankee Stadium crowd home getting their money’s worth with the larger-than-usual crowd on hand in large part to see Messi, who was playing in the Big Apple for the first time since he made the jump to MLS.Messi had used his golden leg earlier in the match to help set up an Inter Miami goal, delighting the largely pro-Messi crowd. Messi stormed up the pitch and threaded a perfect pass to Jordi Alba inside the box, who was able to get a quick touch over to Leo Campana for the goal in the 75th minute of what had been a scoreless game.The Messi moment stopped short of the goal New York area soccer fans were treated to by the Argenitan superstar last year when faced the New York Red Bulls.But the large swaths of fans — clad in Inter Miami gear — erupted at the Campana goal. While all eyes had been on Messi from start to finish, NYCFC had appeared to be the better team for large portions of the game, but just never capitalized on their chances until late in the game.

Hannes Wolf had back-to-back chances in the 60th and 61st minutes, one of which forced Callender to make a diving save. The match was largely benign until the latter part of the second half when tempers started to flare between the two clubs.In a roughly eight-minute span between the 63rd minute and 71st a combined five yellow cards — four for Inter Miami and one for NYCFC — were handed out and Inter Miami assistant coach Gerardo Andres Martino was given a...