What did Lionel Messi do? The action that was not penalized and will now be reviewed by MLS

The Argentine star scored and provided an assist in Inter Miami's 2-2 draw against the Philadelphia Union, but one scene during the match came under scrutiny. MLS will review the footage and Messi could receive a sanction.

Lionel Messi smiled again with a goal but had a night of mixed emotions in Philadelphia. The Argentine scored after the death of his father, Jorge Messi, and also provided an assist in Inter Miami 's 2-2 draw against the Union in a match that had tension from the start until the final minutes.

The goal that brought Messi back to celebrating was not the only thing the match left behind. The forward became the center of controversy over an incident with forward Quinn Sullivan , a Philadelphia Union player, which was not punished during the match and will now be reviewed by the MLS Disciplinary Committee.

The scene that MLS will now have to review

The episode occurred during the second half, after a specific play. Messi approached Sullivan in the middle of an argument. The footage shows the captain of Inter Miami making contact with the back of the head or neck area of the Union player before the two ended up face to face.

The referee did not show any card for that action and the match continued. However, the fact that there was no sanction during the game does not mean the incident has been put behind them: the Disciplinary Committee can review the footage and decide whether any punishment is warranted.

The situation did not end with a sending-off at that moment, but the disciplinary body has the possibility of reviewing the footage and determining whether any punishment is warranted.

A night that ended in controversy

The controversy occurred in a match that ended with a lot of tension. Inter Miami and Philadelphia drew 2-2 and, at the end, the situation ended with the send-offs of Yannick Bright, of Inter Miami, and Cavan Sullivan , of Philadelphia Union . The detail did not go unnoticed because Sullivan is also Quinn's younger brother, the same player with whom Messi had been involved minutes earlier in the controversial scene that is now under review by MLS .

In this context, the possible sanction against Messi has not yet been defined. Early reports suggest that a financial fine would be the expected scenario, although the MLS rules also contemplate a suspension.

Messi scored again, but the draw shifted the focus elsewhere

In footballing terms, Messi once again took center stage. He provided the assist for Dániel Pinté r's goal and then made it 2-1 with a left-footed strike in the 26th minute. It was his first goal since returning to action after his father's death.

Although the night ended with a question that the MLS must now answer: will there be a sanction for Messi for that action?