Inter Miami suffered a 2-1 defeat against Columbus Crew at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field in Ohio during the 27th round of the 2026 MLS season, closing out a weekend slate that saw Lionel Messi score a free-kick.
Match Summary and Scoreline at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field
The visiting side entered Sunday’s fixture seeking to break a streak of four consecutive draws in league play. Instead, Columbus Crew secured all three points on home turf behind a first-half penalty and a late decisive strike. Inter Miami manager fielded a lineup featuring Rocco Ríos Novo in goal behind a defensive block of Facundo Mura, Casemiro, Gonzalo Luján, Micael, and Sergio Reguilón, with Rodrigo De Paul and Yannick Bright operating in midfield ahead of Lionel Messi, Daniel Pinter, and Luis Suárez.
The hosts countered with Patrick Schulte in goal, protected by Eric Bailly, Sean Zawadzki, and Malte Amundsen. Mohamed Farsi, Taha Habroune, Dylan Chambost, Anass Zaroury, Brais Mendez, and Santiago Rodríguez formed the core setup supporting Josef Martínez up front.
Key Goals and Turning Points
The deadlock broke in the 28th minute when Josef Martínez drew a foul inside the penalty area from Yannick Bright.
Inter Miami found an equalizer later in the half through Lionel Messi. The Argentine forward curled a precise free-kick past the defensive wall and goalkeeper Patrick Schulte, leveling the score at 1-1.
The decisive moment arrived in the closing stages of the match. Goalkeeper Rocco Ríos Novo spilled a long-range shot, yielding a rebound that Jamal Thiare pounced on to turn into the back of the net, sealing a 2-1 victory for Columbus Crew.
Standings Context and Next Fixtures
The result leaves Inter Miami looking to rebound after dropping points for the fourth league match. Columbus Crew capitalized on home advantage following their prior win over Montreal, bolstering their position in the Eastern Conference standings as the 2026 regular season progresses.
Worth a look
