Casemiro calamity: Inter Miami home debut doesn’t go to plan
Appearing for Miami for the first time at Nu Stadium, Casemiro endured a first-half moment to forget as the Herons drew with Columbus Crew.
There’s no denying that Inter Miami boasts a galaxy of stars: From Lionel Messi to the club’s newest addition, Casemiro, who made his home debut for the Herons on Saturday. However, the Brazilian midfielder won’t look back fondly on this weekend’s 2-2 draw with Columbus Crew: he marked his first appearance at Nu Stadium with an own goal.
Casemiro’s catastrophic first-half play
After Luis Suárez’s early opener for Miami, the hosts were 1-0 up and firmly in control of the match when Columbus launched a counterattack in the 34th minute. Trying to snuff out the danger, Casemiro went to ground with a routine sliding challenge, in a bid to cut out a right-wing cross. Instead, he inadvertently redirected the ball into his own net.
Goalkeeper Rocco Ríos Novo stretched as far as he could in an attempt to keep it out, but it was too late. Everyone in the area could only watch as the ball crossed the goal line, handing the Crew an equalizer despite the fact they had yet to create a genuine scoring opportunity.
Messi’s post-World Cup comeback
Meanwhile, Messi returned to action for Miami after taking some time off following his participation in the World Cup with Argentina. According to SofaScore, Messi delivered a solid performance as a second-half substitute, earning a 7.0 rating thanks to his contributions in the attacking third.
Casemiro, meanwhile, received a 6.9 rating from SofaScore, with the own goal weighing on his overall evaluation and impacting the result. Even so, the statistics highlighted his involvement throughout the match, as he finished with 90 touches and four ball recoveries.
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