Inter Miami Player Ratings vs Columbus Crew: Messi Shines but Morales Red Card Costs the Team

Lionel Messi scored a brilliant free-kick for Inter Miami, yet the team fell 2-1 to Columbus Crew at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field. The match ended dramatically when Santiago Morales was sent off late, allowing Jamal Thiare to net a stoppage-time winner.

Inter Miami lined up in a 3-4-3 formation designed to give Messi creative freedom, but their defense faltered in the final moments against a relentless press from Columbus. Though Miami controlled 56% of possession, they managed only three shots on target.

After conceding an early penalty converted by Josef Martinez, Miami responded with Messi’s equalizer in the 33rd minute. Still, the visitors couldn’t keep up the pressure as the game wore on.

The turning point came with Morales’ two quick yellow cards, reducing Miami to ten men in the sixth minute of added time. Columbus immediately capitalized, scoring in the ninth minute of stoppage time to claim all three points.

Goalkeeper & Defense

• Rocco Rios Novo - 6/10: Made four saves and showed good reflexes but couldn’t stop the penalty or the late close-range finish.
• Gonzalo Lujan - 5/10: Struggled with Columbus’s attack, received a yellow card late, and was part of the back line that collapsed in stoppage time.
• Casemiro - 4/10: Played out of position and lacked mobility, making him a frequent target for Columbus attackers.
• Micael - 6/10: The calmest defender who made several important clearances.

Midfielders

• Facundo Mura - 6/10: Provided width and defended well until substituted in the 71st minute; received a yellow card for a tactical foul.
• Yannick Bright - 5/10: Had little influence in midfield, picked up a yellow card, and conceded the penalty through a foul.
• Rodrigo De Paul - 6/10: Worked hard linking defense and attack but lacked his usual creativity.
• Sergio Reguilon - 5/10: Offered some attacking threat down the left but struggled with defensive tracking and was substituted late.

Attackers

• Lionel Messi - 7/10: Once again the brightest spark, finishing clinically to score Miami’s equalizer despite limited support.
• Luis Suarez - 6/10: Quiet and often isolated; no shots on target but his hold-up play helped create space for Messi.
• Daniel Pinter - 5/10: Barely involved in attack and mostly on the periphery.

Substitutes & Manager

• David Ayala - 6/10: Came on early for Bright, helped stabilize midfield and maintain possession but lacked the decisive pass.
• Riquelme Fillipi - 5/10: Introduced late but had little impact in a fragmented game.
• Santiago Morales - 2/10: Came on in the 86th minute and quickly became the downfall with two yellows leading to a red card.
• Ezequiel Abadia-Reda - N/A: Too brief a cameo to assess.
• Kily Gonzalez (Manager) - 5/10: His 3-4-3 system controlled possession but lacked sharpness. Morales’ sending off undermined the team’s shape and cost valuable points.