Columbus Crew 2-1 Inter Miami: Match Report, Goals, Stats and Ratings
MLS · Sunday 27 September 2026 · Lower.com Field · referee V. Rivas · full time
Full time: Columbus Crew 2-1 Inter Miami
Columbus Crew beat Inter Miami 2-1 in MLS on Sunday 27 September 2026 at Lower.com Field. The goals: Josef Martínez 28', Lionel Messi 33', Jamal Thiaré 90+8'.
How Columbus Crew won it
Columbus Crew struck first through Josef Martínez from the penalty spot in the 28th minute. Inter Miami levelled at 1-1 in the 33rd minute through Lionel Messi. Jamal Thiaré made it 2-1 to Columbus Crew in the 90th minute (+8).
It was 1-1 at half-time, and the second half changed the result.
Santi Morales of Inter Miami was sent off in the 90th minute (+6) for a second yellow card. The referee, V. Rivas, showed 11 yellow cards: 5 to Columbus Crew and 6 to Inter Miami.
Columbus Crew: L. Courtois, 3-4-3 · Inter Miami: C. González Peret, 3-4-3.
Moneyball's prediction against the result
Moneyball did not publish a pre-match estimate for this match, so there is nothing to mark it against.
Why it went this way
On the day the expected goals were 0.44 for Columbus Crew and 1.79 for Inter Miami.
Columbus Crew scored about 1.6 more than their chances were worth: clinical finishing, or a goalkeeper having a bad day.
Inter Miami created the better chances, 1.79 xG to 0.44, and still lost. On chances alone, the result could easily have gone the other way.
Columbus Crew had 6 shots on target, Inter Miami 3.
Inter Miami had 56% of the ball, but Columbus Crew took the points.
A red card changed the shape of the match, and no pre-match model can see one coming.
Where the two sides stood before this match
Columbus Crew came into it with 31 MLS matches played, scoring 1.6 and conceding 1.6 a match, with 1.49 expected goals for and 1.40 against, and had won 35% of their matches.
Inter Miami came into it with 31 MLS matches played, scoring 2.4 and conceding 1.7 a match, with 1.91 expected goals for and 1.83 against, and had won 48% of their matches.
Columbus Crew vs Inter Miami: the match in numbers
| Columbus Crew | Match statistics | Inter Miami |
|---|---|---|
| 44% | Ball possession | 56% |
| 0.44 | Expected goals (xG) | 1.79 |
| 14 | Total shots | 5 |
| 6 | Shots on target | 3 |
| 3 | Big chances | 0 |
| 390 | Total passes | 525 |
| 88% | Pass accuracy | 88% |
| 9 | Corners | 1 |
| 18 | Fouls | 17 |
| 1 | Offsides | 4 |
| 10 | Tackles | 15 |
| 2 | Saves | 4 |
| 4 | Yellow cards | 7 |
| 0 | Red cards | 1 |
Team statistics from Sportmonks.
Player ratings and man of the match
Man of the match: Lionel Messi (Inter Miami), rated 8.0 by Sportmonks, with 1 goal.
Columbus Crew
- Brais Méndez 7.5
- Josef Martínez 7.2 1 goal
- Jamal Thiaré 7.1 1 goal
- Santiago Rodríguez 7.1
- Sean Zawadzki 7.0
Inter Miami
- Lionel Messi 8.0 1 goal
- Casemiro 7.1
- Rodrigo De Paul 7.0
- David Ayala 6.9
- Luis Suárez 6.7
The lowest-rated starter was Yannick Bright at 6.1. Ratings run from 0 to 10; around 7.0 is a solid match.
What comes next
- Columbus Crew: Dallas vs Columbus Crew Thursday 29 October 2026 · MLS
- Inter Miami: Inter Miami vs Cincinnati Wednesday 28 October 2026 · MLS
Each preview has Moneyball's estimate for the next match, published before kick-off and marked against the result afterwards, as this one is.
Questions about Columbus Crew vs Inter Miami
What was the score in Columbus Crew vs Inter Miami?
Columbus Crew 2-1 Inter Miami (half-time 1-1), MLS, Sunday 27 September 2026.
Who scored in Columbus Crew vs Inter Miami?
Josef Martínez 28', Lionel Messi 33', Jamal Thiaré 90+8'.
Did Moneyball predict Columbus Crew vs Inter Miami correctly?
Moneyball did not publish a pre-match estimate for this match, so there is nothing to mark it against.
Who was man of the match in Columbus Crew vs Inter Miami?
Lionel Messi, rated 8.0 by Sportmonks.
Who refereed Columbus Crew vs Inter Miami?
V. Rivas.
Every match, before and after
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