The Columbus Crew demonstrated their dominance in Major League Soccer with a stunning comeback, scoring three goals in just 14 minutes to secure a 3-2 victory over Inter Miami in the Leagues Cup Round of 16.
After a rough start where they found themselves down 2-0 to an Inter Miami side missing star player Lionel Messi for 67 minutes, the Crew rallied to take control of the match on Tuesday night at Lower.com Field in Columbus, Ohio.
The defending champions battled fiercely for MLS supremacy and a spot in the quarterfinals. The Crew’s Diego Rossi was instrumental, scoring twice in quick succession after Christian Ramirez’s initial goal.
“It’s been a long moment that we haven’t had a situation like this. And this is a good reminder that we don’t quit,” remarked Crew coach Wilfried Nancy. “If the team is better than us or they score more goals, no problem. But the spirit, we don’t quit. I’m happy that we did it.”
With this win, the Crew will face New York City FC in the Leagues Cup quarterfinals later this week. Earlier this year, Columbus finished second in the CONCACAF Champions Cup.
Inter Miami’s goals came from Matias Rojas and Diego Gomez, but despite their strong performance for much of the match, they could not hold onto their lead. This defeat was particularly disappointing for Inter Miami, which had previously bested Columbus 2-1 in a home encounter on June 19.
“I think we played a brilliant 65 minutes, where we could have scored the third goal. And in the 10 minutes we had some confusion,” reflected Inter Miami coach Tata Martino. “I am very sad about the result because I think it is too little for the match we played and the opponent we played against.”
Inter Miami’s exit from the Leagues Cup comes as they await the return of Messi, who has been sidelined since the Copa America final due to a right ankle injury. Despite this setback, Miami remains at the top of the MLS Eastern Conference, leading the standings with 53 points.
The highlights of the match included Ramirez’s goal in the 67th minute, Rossi’s equalizer in the 69th minute, and his go-ahead goal in the 80th minute. Inter Miami initially took control with Rojas scoring in the 10th minute and Gomez doubling the lead in the 62nd minute.
As the Leagues Cup progresses, the Crew and other teams look ahead to the quarterfinals, set for August 16-17, with the final match scheduled for August 25.