The sights and sounds of an Inter Miami away trip are familiar a year into the Lionel Messi experience. There's pre-match discussion about ticket prices and attendance records being set. Fellow travelers on the subway ask Messi jersey-sporting strangers when and where he's about to play.

Messi picked up an ankle injury in the final success over Colombia and consequently missed two months of action for pacesetters Inter Miami in MLS. The former Barcelona star returned to the American stage on September 15, bagging a brace and providing an assist as the Herons beat Philadelphia Union 3-1.

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