On Sunday, Inter Miami will face the Columbus Crew at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field in a crucial MLS matchup. With the goal of either keeping pace with or surpassing the New England Revolution for second place in the Eastern Conference, Miami hopes to bounce back from a recent 2-2 draw against San Diego.
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Columbus Crew, coming off a 2-0 victory over CF Montreal, is positioned 13th in the East and struggles to secure a playoff spot, sitting seven points below the postseason line and needing to surpass four teams to qualify. Head coach Laurent Courtois realizes the importance of turning their season around, as a win would mark only their third league victory since August and their longest domestic winning streak this season.
Historically, the Crew have faced challenges at home, having lost three of their last four home matches in their competitions. This season, they have also been unable to secure wins in seven regular-season games when scoring first, losing 19 points in the process. However, a draw or win against Miami would allow them to remain unbeaten against this opponent in a single regular season for the first time.
In contrast, Inter Miami, which previously contended for first place in the East, has experienced a decline in performance and is now fighting for home-field advantage in the playoffs, with only three points separating them from fourth-place Charlotte FC. The team is aiming to end a four-match winless streak, having dropped points after leading in three of those matches. Nonetheless, they can extend their unbeaten streak to six games this weekend.
Inter Miami has had success in their recent meetings with Columbus, winning three of the last four encounters in Columbus, including a 1-0 victory in the same fixture last year.
In terms of team news, Columbus will be without Wessam Abou Ali due to recovery from a cruciate ligament tear, while Chase Adams, Nicholas Hagen, Steven Moreira, Cole Mrowka, and Gonzalo Tapia are on international duty. Mohamed Farsi and Brais Mendez scored in their last match, and goalkeeper Patrick Schulte recorded a clean sheet. Miami will miss Tadeo Allende (knee injury) and Israel Boatwright (cruciate ligament tear), while Yannick Bright is suspended due to yellow-card accumulation. Lionel Messi, who leads the league in goals and assists, is expected to bid farewell to the Argentine national team during this international window.
Projected lineups include Schulte; Farsi, Bailly, Zawadzki, Amundsen; Lennon, Gomes, Habroune, Mendez; Rodriguez, Martinez for Columbus, and Rios Novo; Mura, Micael, Falcon, Reguilon; Ayala, Casemiro, Morales; Plambeck, Suarez, Silvetti for Miami. Predictions suggest a 1-1 draw, as Inter Miami may struggle without their star player, Messi, against a desperate Columbus team.