Lionel Messi-less Inter Miami beat Columbus Crew without Argentina star as he prepares for Copa America opener on Thursday
Ian Fray and Leo Campana each scored in the opening 22 minutes, and Inter Miami defeated the Columbus Crew 2-1 on Wednesday night without Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez.
Miami (12-3-5) played in the Copa America without Messi, Suárez and midfielder Matías Rojas due to international obligations.
Messi’s Copa America with Argentina starts on Thursday when La Albiceleste take on Canada in Atlanta.
Suarez’s Uruguay opens the tournament on Sunday vs. Panama.
Columbus (7-3-6), the reigning MLS Cup champion, had won its last four road games. Columbus hasn’t played at Lower.com Field since May 11, a streak of six straight games.
Ian Fray (center) scored to help Inter Miami beat the Columbus Crew without Lionel Messi
Messi and Argentina open their Copa America vs. Canada in Atlanta
Fray, in his first MLS match since July 15, 2023, due to ACL surgery, opened the scoring in the 10th minute by heading in Julian Gressel’s corner kick.
Campana made it 2-0 in the 21st with his fifth goal of the season. Campana’s header was saved by Patrick Schulte, but he was the first to get off the rebound.
Cucho Hernández scored for Columbus in the 40th when he poked home Aidan Morris’ cross for his sixth goal.
Columbus midfielder and captain Darlington Nagbe became the 10th player in MLS history to make 400 regular-season appearances.
Dax McCarty (477) and Kei Kamara (429) are the only active players with more games played.