Columbus Crew 2-3 Inter Miami summary, score, goals, highlights MLS

MLS

How many trophies has Lionel Messi won?

The Supporters' Shield trophy has looked like a forgone conclusion for some time now but Inter Miami finally got it over the line with a dramatic 3-2 victory over Columbus Crew on Wednesday. It represents the 15th different competition won by Lionel Messi over the course of his career. 

How many trophies has Lionel Messi won?

Lionel Messi goals help Inter Miami to Supporters' Shield!

It's official, Inter Miami are the best team in the MLS regular season. 

The Herons beat reigning MLS Cup holders Columbus Crew to clinch the title, a famous night in the history of this young club. 

Sensational footwork from Lionel Messi near the corner flag, gliding past a desperate Crew challenge and into the penalty box. 

He pulls the ball back to Ruiz on the edge of box but the youngster's shot is blocked. 

That might do it!

Dylan Chambost finds himself in a bit of space 25 yards from goal and tries his luck. He hits the shot firmly but it's straight at Drake Callender, easily saved. 

Powerful run down the left from David Ruiz to get Miami up the field. He wins a throw-in and, more importantly, wastes a few more seconds. 

Inter Miami are still playing with Suarez and Messi up front. It's fine when Miami are in possession but they're playing with two passengers without the ball. 

Essentially, they're counter-acting the Crew red card. The hosts are dominating the final stages. 

Loose touch in the Columbus backline allows Luis Suarez to slide a pass through to Lionel Messi, sprinting in on goal to complete his hat-trick.

Out of nowhere DeJuan Jones gets across and levers Messi out of the way, saving his team. 

The Crew are turning the screw now. Cucho Hernandez picks up the ball on the left  again and cuts inside, making space for a shot and firing just wide of Callender's post from 20 yards out. 

So close to a leveller for Columbus!

We'll have ten minutes of added time at the end of the second half. 

Inter Miami are back on the ball and manage to string together a few passes in the Crew half. David Ruiz picks up the ball near the touchline and wins a cheap free kick. 

Inter Miami will be in no rush to take this. It's that stage of the game now. 

Cucho Hernandez does well to bring down a long ball forward on the left wing. He cuts inside and tries to float a cross to Diego Rossi at the back post but it's over hit and bounces harmlessly out for a goal kick. 

We're into the final few minutes now and Columbus are really, really pushing now, throwing everything forward in search of a leveller. 

Herrera on for Columbus, replacing Farsi. 

Cucho Hernandez sees his spot kick saved. Columbus Crew win the corner kick but now have just minutes left to rescue this game. 

This VAR check is taking a while. It definitely struck the hand, but was it an unnatural position? 

Big appeals for another Crew penalty as Ian Fray's right hand is struck by a cross from Jones. 

The referee initially says no, but the home crowd have seen the contact on a replay.

Columbus rally and find space to play down the left, sending Jones flying forward on the left. His cross evades everyone but Farsi, lurking at the back post. 

Farsi strikes the ball firmly and forces a brilliant instinctive save from Drake Callender to keep his side ahead. 

Another Inter Miami change. Marcelo Weigandt off, Sergii Kryvtsov on. 

Good work from Russell-Rowe in his first touches, holding the ball up well and winning his team a throw-in. 

Triple change from Columbus head coach Wilfried Nancy. Ramirez, Nagbe and Arfsten are off. Russel-Rowe, Chambost and Jones come on. 

Brilliant ball forward form Columbus finds Ramirez running in behind but he doesn't have the pace to make anything of it. He cuts back and tries to find Rossi in the middle but it's a poor pass, easily intercepted. 

Inter Miami are making a conscious decision to slow the pace of the game now. They have a numerical advantage - both in the scoreline and on the field - so have no need to rush things. 

Yep, it's David Ruiz coming on to replace Federico Redondo. 

Redondo has already been booked and is definitely a red card risk. 

It looks like Inter Miami are readying a change...

Columbus have switched to a back four without Camacho on the field. Amundsen and Moreira will operate as a central defensive pairing, with Farsi and Arfsten providing the width on the flanks. 

Ok, so to recap. Inter Miami lead 3-2. Columbus Crew are down to ten men. 

It's been a hectic twenty minutes at the start of the second half. Who knows what's still to come?

It was a silly challenge from Camacho, who jumped into a studs-up tackle on Redondo on the halfway line. He got the ball but it was an ugly challenge, and one that could easily be considered dangerous. 

The Columbus man will have to walk. 

That Cucho goal has really got the energy levels up again in Columbus, getting the home crowd on their feet. Can they build on that momentum now?

Rudy Camacho

The Columbus defender has brought down Suarez a few times now. He goes into the book. 

Brilliant hold-up play from Luis Suarez to shield a ball on the halfway line and draw a foul from Rudy Camacho. 

Watch: Schulte shocker hands Luis Suarez a goal.

Since receiving a call-up for USMNT this morning, Patrick Schulte's day has really gone downhill. 

The Columbus Crew goalkeeper failed to set up his defensive wall properly in the first half, allowing Lionel Messi to curl a free kick into the back of the net. Then, just minutes into the second half, he does this. 

Messi curls the ball in towards the near post but Ramirez is back to head away for Columbus. Miami regain possession and play it back to Callender. 

The Herons are looking much more settled in the second half. 

Luis Suarez shows a rare burst of pace to find himself in a crossing position on the right and wins a corner kick for his team. Messi trots across to take it...

Inter Miami's three goals have been a direct result of the quality in their frontline, taking advantage of any defensive lapse and punishing it. Ruthlessly. 

The Crew are probably the most well-organised team in the league and even they are falling apart here. 

That Suarez goal was completely bizarre. A simple long ball forward over the Columbus defence was misjudged by Schulte, who flew out to meet it but failed to make a proper connection. 

The loose ball popped up for Luis Suarez and he gleefully nodded the ball into the back of the net. 

Have you ever seen anything like that? Two goals in the first two minutes of the second half. That Suarez strike has really killed the atmosphere in Columbus, where the home crowd thought they were on the road to a famous comeback victory. 

Wow! On second viewing, I think that was only 20 second into the second half. 

Mohamed Farsi made an immediate run forward with the ball and it bounced loose to Rossi, just inside the Miami box. Diego Rossi does brilliantly to curl the ball past Callender and into the top corner. 

Despite a frustrating first half, the Columbus Crew support is in great voice ahead of the second 45. 

The Nordecke are looking to roar their team back into the game. 

Watch: Stunning Messi free kick doubles Miami lead.

Just seconds before the end of the first half, this Lionel Messi free kick gave the Herons a commanding lead.

Luis Suarez went down very easily to win the free kick in the first place. His old pal Lionel effortlessly curled the set piece into the back of the net. 

Watch: Lionel Messi goal puts Inter Miami ahead.

Here's the first, a slightly fortuitous rebound that allowed Messi to sneak in between Columbus defenders and poke the loose ball past Patrick Schulte. 

Good pass forward from Jordi Alba, who spotted a sharp run from Messi. 

Well, where did that come from?

That's the question that Columbus Crew fans will be asking themselves at halftime. 

For much of the first half the Crew were on top, dominating the ball and preventing even the slimmest opportunity for Inter Miami to break on them. And then, out of nowhere, Lionel Messi scores twice and you're two goals down. 

Let's take a look back at those two first half strikes from the Inter Miami captain...

Lionel Messi goals put Inter Miami in the driving seat.

Rudy Camacho gets a little too close to Luis Suarez on the edge of the Columbus box. There was very little there but Suarez goes to ground and wins a free kick, much to the annoyance of the home support. 

There's going to be at least five minutes of added time at the end of the first half. 

Lionel Messi goal puts Inter Miami ahead!

It was just a long ball forward towards Messi, squirming in between the Columbus defenders. He brought the ball down well and got a little fortunate with a deflection, before poking the ball past Schulte in the Crew goal. 

Diego Rossi picks up the ball in a pocket of space and glides past Busquets, towards the Miami box. He shifts the ball onto his right boot to shoot at goal but his effort is well saved by Callender. 

Good break forward from Inter Miami nearly finds Redondo charging in behind the Crew defence. He tries to latch onto a pass from Gomez but Columbus manage to crowd them out. 

Brilliant take from Max Arfsten to pluck a long ball towards Weigandt out of the sky. The Columbus wingback has looked good so far. 

That spate of poor challenges from Inter Miami has dulled the pace of the game, breaking Columbus' rhythm on the ball. 

Federico Redondo

The Miami midfielder goes into the book for a brainless tackle on Darlington Nagbe, clattering into the back of the Crew captain. 

It's Cucho Hernandez who takes the resultant free kick. His effort strikes the defensive wall and spins up in the air, causing a moment of panic for Miami, before Callender comes out to claim it. 

Sergio Busquets flies into another challenge on the edge of his own box, scything down Cucho Hernandez 25 yards from goal. 

The free kick is given but Busquets avoids a yellow card. He's been very lucky. 

A loose ball falls at the feet of Christian Ramirez on the edge of the box. The Crew forward strikes the ball on the volley and it whistles past Callender's left-hand post. 

Nearly an opening for Columbus. 

Half an hour in, it's all to play for in Columbus. The hosts have definitely been the more assured of the two teams so far. But this Miami team, they only need a second and they're ahead. 

Final decision on that Busquets-Farsi clash: no card for either player, despite a red card check for possible dangerous play from Busquets. 

Free kick to Miami. That's got the home crowd on their feet!

It was very clumsy by Busquets, who's boot hit Farsi's midriff.

Busquets actually got there first and may have won the ball. But the follow-through was nasty and appears to have done some real damage to the Crew fullback. 

Big clash on the edge of the Miami box, Sergio Busquets clattering into Mohamed Farsi. It's definitely a foul by Busquets, but Farsi is staying down here.

VAR - Confirmed, no goal.

After a VAR check, the on-field decision is upheld. It was very close though. 

Marcelo Weigandt - Goal offside.

A short corner kick is whipped in by Lionel Messi and onto the head of Diego Gomez in the middle. He nods the ball into the back of the net, but the flag is up for offside. 

A neat ball over the top from Busquets finds Weigandt running in behind the Crew. Schulte is stranded but Weigandt opts to list the ball into the middle and it's cleared for a corner kick. 

Finally a bit of possession for Inter Miami, knocking the ball around coolly at the back. 

It's a testament to Columbus' pressing that this is the first spell of the ball for Miami. 

The corner is played short and Columbus quickly pinch the ball near the corner flag. Inter Miami have looked a little off it so far. 

Inter Miami win a corner kick. A chance to deliver with quality now...

Federico Redondo is penalised for a clumsy challenge on Darlington Nagbe, who does brilliantly to keep the ball. 

We could see a really interesting clash between youth an experience in midfield. 

The GOAT or grades?

The Columbus Crew fans are really showing out this evening but there is, of course, a good number of pink jerseys dotted around Lower.com Field. Lionel Messi continues to be a real draw. 

First real foray forward from Inter Miami. Messi slides the ball out to Gomez on the edge of the box, who finds Alba on the overlap. 

But Gomez' pass is overhit and Alba can't keep it in play. A frustrating error from Miami, there. 

Brilliant touch from Cucho Hernandez to set Max Arfsten into space on the left flank, but Busquets gets across well to sweep up and regain possession. 

Lionel Messi has struggled in the early stages tonight, giving the ball away cheaply on multiple occasions. 

In fairness, it's not just him. Inter Miami are feeling the effects of this Crew press. 

Inter Miami do well to defend a Columbus corner kick and the Herons spark a counter-attack with Noah Allen. He makes it to the halfway line but, seeing few options ahead of him, checks back inside and recycles the ball. 

Agonising for Columbus Crew fans, who thought they'd grabbed an early lead. Brilliant individual work from Cucho to find the back of the net but Arfsten had delayed the pass a little too long. 

Strong tackle from Diego Gomez to win the ball back in the midfield. The home crowd don't like it but that was good from the young Paraguayan. 

His energy will be crucial for Inter Miami this evening. 

Disciplined start from Inter Miami, who are trying sit a little deeper than usual. They will have to accept that they may not dominate the ball this evening. 

It looks like Sergio Busquets is dropping into the defence this evening, forming a back-three for the Herons. Big call from Tata Martino to match up Columbus' formation. 

Good run forward from Ian Fray to bring the ball up-field. He slips the ball out to Weigandt on the wing but the full-back miscontrols the pass. 

The corner kick is swung in by Diego Rossi but well-cleared by Miami. 

From the very start, Columbus get Miami under pressure and win a corner kick. 

Incredible noise at Lower.com Field. 

Columbus Crew - Inter Miami: Team news.

Just before we get underway, here's another look at the starting XIs selected by Wilfried Nancy and Tata Martino. 

Tata Martino outlines his hopes for Inter Miami.

The Inter Miami head coach spoke, via translator, to Apple TV ahead of tonight's game. 

When asked what the key would be for his team, Tata Martino said: "Being consistent throughout the 90 minutes. We've had experience in previous games against Columbus where we gave them the initiative and it cost us."

Inter Miami close in on Supporters' Shield title.

The Herons players are going through their final preparation. Kickoff at Lower.com Field is now just minutes away. 

Kickoff approaches at Lower.com Field.

We're nearly ready for the off now and the players are going through their final preparations for this top-of-the-table clash in the East. 

We're expecting fireworks tonight!

What time is kickoff for Columbus Crew - Inter Miami?

The glamourous clash of the evening is undoubtedly found at Lower.com and, as such, it deserves it's own slot. The Crew-Miami game will start slightly later that the rest of the Eastern Conference action, with the action set to begin in around 15 minutes. 

Recap: Columbus Crew battle back to stun Inter Miami.

The last time these teams met was in the Leagues Cup back in the summer. Inter Miami were the reigning champions but they were dumped from the competition by a resilient Columbus Crew, who went on to lift the trophy. 

Wilfried Nancy uses Lionel Messi as an example for the Crew.

During his 18 months with the Columbus Crew Wilfried Nancy has built a reputation as one of the best coaches, if not the best coach, in MLS. But even he takes inspiration from elsewhere, and he revealed recently that tonight's rival, Lionel Messi, has been a useful coaching tool during his career. 

"He’s been part of my example when I try to teach certain things with my players," Nancy said ahead of the game.

"Because he is a player that, yes, obviously, he’s won many things, but what I like about him is he plays with common sense. So when there’s a pass to make, he passes the ball. When it is the moment to dribble, he’s going to do it. And for me, this is rare to see that."

Cucho Hernandez has his say on Inter Miami challenge.

The Columbus Crew striker is one of the league's most thrilling attacking talents, a player who manages to affect every facet of the game. Ahead of kickoff Cucho Hernandez tells Apple TV that he's looking forward to taking on Lionel Messi. 

The two actually met much earlier in Cucho's career, when his Huesca side took on Messi's all-conquering Barcelona in LaLiga. Now, they go head-to-head. 

MLS

Controversy as lip readers reveal Messi’s angry outburst at referee after Inter Miami - Charlotte

Inter Miami were held to a draw in their most recent MLS fixture, a 1-1 against Charlotte Fc last weekend. After the match, Herons captain Lionel Messi was not too impressed with the referee's performance...

Lionel Messi's angry reaction.

The Crew arrive.

The Columbus Crew come into this game off the back of a fourth final in less than 12 months, an incredible run under head coach Wilfried Nancy. They were narrowly beaten, a penalty shootout loss, by Club America at last week's Campeones Cup but they remain the team to watch ahead of MLS Cup. 

Can they go back-to-back?

Lionel Messi in the house in Columbus.

The Inter Miami captain has his game face on as he strolls into Lower.com Field, flanked, as always, by his security guard. Will we see a bit more Messi magic this evening? You wouldn't rule it out. 

MLS

Wilfried Nancy: The first African-American MLS coach to visit the White House

It's been a busy couple of weeks for Columbus Crew. They've had regular MLS fixtures, the Campeones Cup final and the small matter of a trip to the White House. 

Regardless, you can bet they won't be dropping the pace at all this evening.

Columbus Crew at the White House.

Preparations underway for Inter Miami in Columbus.

The Herons are on the brink of history - a first Supporters' Shield in club history - as they prepare to take on Columbus Crew today. The Crew got the better of the most recent meeting between the two, securing a 3-2 victory in Leagues Cup to eliminate the holders at the Round-of-16 phase. 

Messi and Suarez 'change the system', says Busquets.

With three draws and one win from four games, Lionel Messi's return to Inter Miami has not been as successful as some would have hoped. Nevertheless, midfielder Sergio Busquets insists that it's just a case of tweaking their system to get the best of Messi and Luis Suarez at the focal point of the attack. 

Ahead of tonight's game, Busquets said: “It’s true that with Leo and Luis there’s a change in system, and we have to adapt. But it’s an advantage to have him, and honestly, we need to find him more because we know what he’s capable of doing.”

MLS

How many trophies has Lionel Messi won?

No player in the history of soccer have won more than Lionel Messi. Tonight, the Inter Miami captain can add to his record-breaking haul.

Lionel Messi's trophy collection

Recap: Columbus Crew frustrated in DC.

Like the Herons, Columbus Crew were unable to get the three points in their most recent fixture. The Crew were forced to settle for a 2-2 against DC United, with Golden Boot leader Christian Benteke hitting a brace for the hosts. 

Nevertheless, Cucho Hernandez' outrageous long-range curler was definitely the goal of the game. 

Recap: Lionel Messi goal not enough for Miami against Charlotte.

Inter Miami's record-chasing pace has slowed in recent weeks with three consecutive draws coming into tonight's game. They were held 1-1 by Charlotte FC last week, despite this picture-perfect strike from Lionel Messi early in the second half. 

The stage is set.

Its a balmy fall evening in Columbus, Ohio and we're set for a meeting of two of the best teams in MLS. The reigning MLS Cup champions hosting the soon-to-be Supporters Shield winners. 

Is Lionel Messi fit?

“Obviously, Leo does not need to do differentiated physical work in training. But he needs a rhythm of competition, which gives me the idea that he is going to reach the playoffs very well because in addition to the games with us he has the games with the Argentinian national team. So we have high hopes that he will come into the play-offs in very good shape.”

Full MLS schedule.

What a midweek treat. A full slate of MLS fixtures on a Wednesday evening, with playoff stakes on the line in most games. 

Here's the full fixture list for this evening's action...

MLS

Which MLS teams have qualified for the playoffs? Schedule, start date

Inter Miami were, unsurprisingly, the first team to book their place in the postseason. The Columbus Crew were not far behind them. 

There are 13 teams now confirmed in the 2024 postseason, here's the current list...

Which teams have qualified for MLS Cup playoffs?

Supporters' Shield on the line in Columbus.

Will tonight be the night? For months, Inter Miami have been on a seemingly inevitable march to the Supporter's Shield title, their first MLS trophy in team history. 

A win tonight would seal it, and clinch another trophy for Lionel Messi's incredible collection. 

MLS

When is Columbus Crew - Inter Miami? How to watch on TV, stream online | MLS

First things first. While we will have full updates right here on AS USA, you can also choose to watch Columbus Crew - Inter Miami wherever you are in the world. Here's everything you need to know...

How to watch Columbus Crew - Inter Miami

Hello and welcome to our live text coverage of Columbus Crew - Inter Miami. 

I'm Will Gittins - US soccer correspondent - and I'll be bringing you all the action from Lower.com Field. Away we go...