Inter Miami Player Ratings: Messi's Free-Kick Magic Not Enough as Morales Red Card Costs Against Columbus Crew

Lionel Messi scored a brilliant free-kick to level the match, but a late red card for Santiago Morales proved decisive as Columbus Crew snatched a 2-1 win in stoppage time at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field.

Miami lined up in a 3-4-3 formation aimed at giving Messi creative freedom, but their defense broke down under pressure in the final minutes. Despite holding 56% possession, Miami managed only three shots on target throughout the game.

The match turned on discipline issues and defensive lapses. Messi's equalizer came in the 33rd minute after an early penalty by Josef Martinez gave Columbus the lead. But Miami couldn’t keep up the momentum.

Morales entered late and quickly earned two yellows, reducing Miami to ten men in the sixth minute of added time. Columbus wasted no time exploiting the advantage, with Jamal Thiare scoring the winner deep into stoppage time.

Goalkeeper & Defense

• Rocco Rios Novo - 6/10: Made four key saves to keep Miami competitive, showing good reflexes against six shots on target. Couldn’t stop the penalty or the late close-range finish.
• Gonzalo Lujan - 5/10: Had a tough night dealing with Columbus’s attackers, picked up a yellow in the 92nd minute, and was part of the back three that faltered in stoppage time.
• Casemiro - 4/10: Out of position and lacking mobility, he struggled to contain Columbus runners and was repeatedly targeted.
• Micael - 6/10: The most composed defender, making several crucial clearances to help keep Miami in the contest.

Midfield

• Facundo Mura - 6/10: Provided width and was solid defensively before being subbed off in the 71st minute. Earned a yellow card for a tactical foul.
• Yannick Bright - 5/10: Struggled to impact midfield play, received a yellow in the 40th minute, and conceded the penalty through a foul in the box.
• Rodrigo De Paul - 6/10: Worked hard linking defense and attack but lacked his usual spark creativity-wise.
• Sergio Reguilon - 5/10: Offered some attacking threat on the left but was inconsistent and substituted late as tensions rose. Had trouble tracking overlapping runs.

Attack

• Lionel Messi - 7/10: The standout performer who clinically scored the equalizer despite Miami’s overall low offensive output.
• Luis Suarez - 6/10: A quiet night, often isolated upfront. No shots on target but helped by holding the ball and creating space for Messi.
• Daniel Pinter - 5/10: Rarely involved in the attack, mostly peripheral throughout.

Substitutes & Manager

• David Ayala - 6/10: Came on early for the injured Bright, brought more stability, helped maintain possession but lacked the final pass.
• Riquelme Fillipi - 5/10: Entered late but failed to influence a match disrupted by fouls.
• Santiago Morales - 2/10: His brief appearance was disastrous. Booked twice in quick succession, leading to a red card that left Miami vulnerable in the final moments.
• Ezequiel Abadia-Reda - N/A: Too little time on the pitch for evaluation.
• Kily Gonzalez - 5/10: His 3-4-3 system controlled possession but lacked cutting edge. Substitution of Morales backfired badly, and the team looked tactically disorganized after the sending-off.