Sportstar·India·Monday, September 28, 2026 at 02:42 AM

Columbus Crew vs Inter Miami player ratings — Lionel Messi finds the net again in defeat

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Lionel Messi’s free-kick goal was not enough to prevent Inter Miami from falling to defeat against Columbus Crew. | Photo Credit: AP

Lionel Messi’s free-kick goal was not enough to prevent Inter Miami from falling to defeat against Columbus Crew. | Photo Credit: AP

Lionel Messi scored a dazzling equaliser but it proved insufficient as Inter Miami succumbed to defeat against Columbus Crew on Sunday.

Joesef Martinez had given the home side the lead with a penalty before Messi levelled things up with a curling free-kick, his Messi’s 21st goal of the regular season.

He almost put Miami ahead in the 62nd minute, only to see his shot tipped over by Crew goalkeeper Patrick Schulte. Subsitute David Ayala also found the back of the net, but saw his goal ruled out for offside.

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The game was ultimately decided late in injury time when Miami goalkeeper Rocco Rios Novo failed to completely claim a shot from Brais Mendez, allowing Sengalese subsitute Jamal Thiare to latch onto the rebound and fire home.

Miami now trails leader Nashville by 14 points with seven games of the regular season remaining.

(With inputs from AFP)

Columbus Crew vs Inter Miami player ratings

Columbus Crew: Schulte (6.4), Bailly (7.4), Zawadski (7.6), Amundsen (7.0), Farsi (7.2), Chambost (6.9), Harbroune (7.3), Zaroury (8), Mendez (7.9), Martinez (7.8), Rodriguez (7.6); Subs: Bangoura (6.1).

Inter Miami: Novo (5), Micael (7.1), Casemiro (7.1), Lujan (6.3), Reguilon (6.6), Bright (5.5), De Paul (7), Mura (6.2), Pinter (6.4), Suarez (6.8), Messi (7.8); Subs: Ayala (6.8), Fillipi (6.3).

Published on Sep 28, 2026

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