Casemiro endured an Inter Miami home debut to forget as he scored an own goal during their 2-2 MLS draw with Columbus Crew on Saturday.
The 34-year-old joined the American outfit on a free transfer after leaving Manchester United – where he earned £375,000-per-week – at the end of the 2025-26 Premier League campaign.
He made his debut on July 26 – playing the full duration in a 1-0 win at Montreal.
And less than a week later he started in front of his new home supporters but with a different outcome.
Leading 1-0 thanks to Luis Suarez’s long-range strike, Inter Miami were pegged back on 34 minutes when Casemiro finished past his own goalkeeper.
The Brazilian was at fault for the build-up to the own goal too when he gave away possession inside his own half.
Casemiro (centre left) scored an own goal on his Inter Miami home debut as they drew 2-2
The 34-year-old was later booked for a foul on Columbus Crew’s Sekou Bangoura (centre)
His pass was intercepted by Hugo Picard who passed to Daniel Gazdag. Gazdag played the ball out wide to Taha Habroune and as his low delivery went across the box, a desperate Casemiro could only stretch to divert it past team-mate Rocco Rios Novo.
The Brazil international cut a sheepish figure as the Nu Stadium was stunned into silence. He was later booked too for a foul on Sekou Bangoura.
Noah Allen’s goal deep into first-half stoppage time restored the noise inside the ground as Inter Miami took the lead and that volume increased early in the second half when Lionel Messi came on.
Miami talisman Messi came on in the 53rd minute to a rapturous applause in what was his first outing since captaining Argentina to their abject World Cup final defeat by Spain on July 19.
The 39-year-old immediately took the armband from Suarez but he was unable to steer his team to three points as Brais Mendez scored a late equaliser.
Mendez curled a free-kick from the right side that went untouched off the post and into the net in the 84th minute.
Lionel Messi (right) made a return to Inter Miami action after losing the World Cup final in July
Much like events that occurred in the World Cup, the encounter was delayed by 40 minutes due to inclement weather.
The draw ended Inter Miami’s six-game winning streak but they are now unbeaten in seven matches.
