COLUMBUS, Ohio — Lionel Messi bent a free kick into the far top corner from a seemingly impossible angle on Sunday, but Inter Miami still lost 2-1 to the Columbus Crew after substitute Jamal Thiaré scored deep into second-half stoppage time, denying the Argentine a point on a night he continued to add to his goal tally.

Miami fell behind in the 28th minute when Josef Martínez, a former Inter Miami striker, converted a penalty for Columbus. The spot kick was awarded after Miami's Yannick Bright fouled him inside the area. Messi answered five minutes later. With a free kick wide on the right wing, and with most people in the stadium, including the Columbus defense and goalkeeper Patrick Schulte, expecting a cross into a crowded penalty area, Messi instead sent his left-footed effort curling around the wall and into the far top corner, ESPN reported.

The strike was Messi's 12th direct free-kick goal for Inter Miami in all competitions and his sixth this season. It was also his 21st goal in Major League Soccer this year, extending his lead in the Golden Boot race to three goals over FC Dallas forward Petar Musa. The 39-year-old now has 21 goals and 11........

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