Overview
- On Sunday night, Jamal Thiaré scored in the ninth minute of stoppage time after a goalkeeper spill to give Columbus a 2-1 win over Inter Miami.
- Josef Martínez opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 28th minute and Lionel Messi curled a near-impossible free kick in the 33rd minute to level the match.
- Inter Miami went down to 10 men when substitute Santiago Morales received a second yellow late in stoppage time, a dismissal that preceded the decisive rebound finish.
- The win moved Columbus to about 29 points and closer to the Eastern Conference playoff picture while Inter Miami stayed on 46 points and extended a winless run in league play.
- The match drew a sellout crowd of 21,188 and was streamed exclusively on Apple TV, underscoring the commercial spotlight on Messi even as Miami’s defensive lapses and late-game discipline create fresh pressure on the club.