Lionel Messi’s free kick looked like it had rescued Inter Miami a point, but Columbus Crew had other ideas. Thiaré started the match and scored in stoppage time to give the Crew a 2-1 win over the third-place visitors, handing Inter Miami a defeat that snaps a four-game draw streak. Josef Martínez had opened the scoring from the spot in the first half before Messi equalized with his 76th career free kick goal, according to bolavip.com, only for Columbus to find a late winner in chaotic final moments.
Key Moments
- 24′, VAR confirmed a penalty for Columbus Crew after a review involving Josef Martínez.
- 28′, Josef Martínez converted the penalty to give Columbus Crew the lead.
- 33′, Lionel Messi equalized for Inter Miami with a free kick, his 76th career free kick goal per bolavip.com, from what USA Today described as a difficult angle.
- 83′, Thiaré entered the pitch as a substitute for Josef Martínez, with the score level at 1-1.
- 90′, Thiaré struck in stoppage time to give Columbus a 2-1 lead. Morales of Inter Miami was shown a second yellow and subsequently a red card in the same minute, compounding Miami’s misery.
Tactical Breakdown
Inter Miami controlled the ball, finishing the match with 56% possession and 524 total passes to Columbus’s 390. But possession did not translate to threat. Miami managed only five shots in total, three of which were on target, and their xG was blunted by a compact Columbus defensive shape operating in a 3-4-3. Schulte in the Columbus goal was barely troubled, making two saves, while Ríos Novo had to work far harder at the other end, producing four stops to keep Miami in the game.
Interim head coach Laurent Courtois’s decision to bring Thiaré on in the 83rd minute proved decisive. Columbus had run out of ideas in the final stretch, but the late attacking injection changed the game’s tempo. The winning goal came in the same minute Miami lost Morales to a red card after two yellows in quick succession at the 90-minute mark, compressing Miami’s defensive structure at the worst possible time. Columbus also lost Bailly to a substitution shortly before that spell, cycling through three changes between the 78th and 83rd minutes in a bid to add energy.
Miami’s afternoon unraveled not just tactically but temperamentally. Five yellow cards across the squad, a red card for Morales, and an early booking for Casemiro for dissent painted a picture of frustration. Despite Messi’s individual brilliance, Miami generated next to nothing in open play, recording only two shots inside the box. With Suárez unable to get into the game and the wing channels congested, Columbus’s defensive third held firm for long stretches.
Player Ratings
Match Context
Standings
Head To Head
Verdict
The result moves Columbus Crew to 26 points and offers some breathing room in what has been a difficult season under interim coach Laurent Courtois. For Inter Miami, still third in the Eastern Conference with 46 points, the defeat ends a four-game draw streak and is a reminder that their grip on a playoff spot is not as tight as their position suggests, with Charlotte just three points behind having played one more game. Messi’s free kick will be remembered; the final score will sting.
Columbus Crew
Inter Miami
Josef Martinez
L. Messi