Miami scrap their way to three points against Columbus Crew

Columbus 0 – 1 Inter Miami

CLEVELAND, OH–A stunning diving header from Benjamin Cremaschi was all that separated the two teams in an end-to-end game that leaves Miami as the only unbeaten side in the MLS this season.

With number one choices Lionel Messi and Lois Suarez leading the line, Miami constantly had to dig deep and defend as they were pushed all the way by an energetic Columbus Crew, who will wonder how they didn’t manage to score in a pulsating encounter in Cleveland.

Normally the team to take the reins and boss games, Miami were regularly forced onto the back foot as Columbus took charge and restricted the visitors to counter attacks.

They started with the right intent as Messi played a long ball forward from the kick off, trying to use the pace of Tadeo Allende who was back in the starting eleven. But the momentum was definitely with the home side early on, as they pressed high and caused Miami all kinds of problems.

In form keeper Oscar Ustari had to be on top of his game as Columbus pushed for the opening goal and gave Miami no time to settle on the ball.

Diego Rossi was pulling the strings for Columbus and Daniel Gazdag was a willing runner and proven goal scorer, as the Crew pushed hard to find an equalizer.

Messi and Suarez were kept relatively quiet as their team were forced to soak up the consistent pressure, with Ustari the busier of the two keepers, managing to keep his goal intact.

And then as is often the case, a goal against the run of play.

Suarez sweeping ball across the pitch perfectly found a running Marcelo Weigandt who crossed first time for the diving Cremaschi who found the net.

It was a spectacular goal and was the kind of fast paced attacking football that Miami can pull out of the hat at any time. From the moment Suarez received the ball inside his own half they needed just three touches to create a goal scoring opportunity, one that they took, and ultimately won them the match.

The scoreline changed, but the goal did little to change the way the game unfolded. The Crew continued to play the same way and control much of the match as they dominated possession.

The home fans grew increasingly more frustrated as their side probed and prodded but couldn’t find the finish. They had chances but couldn’t finish them, and the Miami penalty area was often a chaotic scene of desperation from both sides.

Rossi wasted two free kicks in good positions and on the hour mark Columbus created mayhem in the Miami penalty area but failed to get a shot away, and the moment was lost.

Russel-Rowe was at the centre of another goal mouth scramble, but they couldn’t make the most of it as Inter continued to live a charmed life and somehow hung on to their advantage.

With Messi in the team, there will always be possibilities. The Herons captain saw some of the ball and went close with a long-range strike, but Miami’s intricate play around the box didn’t quite work and the front three were limited to half chances.

Indeed Suarez was substituted soon after the hour and clearly wasn’t best pleased about being taken off. He gesticulated and appeared frustrated with his coach’s decision.

However this was a backs against the wall moment for Miami and the fresh legs of Telasco Segovia was the right call. The question is, why did Messi play the full match when he appeared to have an injury.

More changes followed from Javier Mascherano, but it did little to stem the flow of Columbus attacks, and Gazdag should have scored in the dying minutes, but he got his feet all wrong and missed a sitter. There was still time for another close call in the penalty area as Miami held on with some desperate defending to seal the win.

Mascherano will be delighted his side were able to hold on, but he’ll be concerned to see Messi appearing to nurse an injury as he left the field.