Overview
- Columbus Crew beat Inter Miami 2-1 on Sunday when substitute Jamal Thiaré tapped in a rebound in the ninth minute of stoppage time after Miami were reduced to ten men by a late red card.
- Lionel Messi had earlier equalized from a near‑impossible free kick in the 33rd minute after Josef Martínez opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 28th minute.
- Messi’s strike was widely reported as his 76th career direct free‑kick goal, placing him two short of the commonly cited total for Marcelinho Carioca.
- Inter Miami’s loss continued a poor run of form, compounded by injuries and international call‑ups that have tested depth, and coach Cristian Gonzalez publicly questioned several VAR and referee decisions from the match.
- The win moved Columbus to 29 points and kept their playoff push alive while Miami stayed near the top of the East but face growing concern over late matches that could affect their final seeding.