Messi magic fizzles as Columbus snatch late victory over Miami

In a closely contested MLS match on Sunday, Inter Miami suffered a 2-1 loss to Columbus Crew, as Lionel Messi's late equalizer proved insufficient to secure a victory. The Argentine superstar opened the scoring in the 33rd minute with a stunning free-kick, following Josef Martinez's penalty goal for Columbus just five minutes earlier. However, Messi's 21st goal of the regular season proved futile as the Crew demonstrated remarkable resilience and held off Inter Miami for extended periods.

Early in the second half, Messi narrowly missed the chance to put Miami ahead, only for his shot to be expertly tipped over the bar by Columbus goalkeeper Patrick Schulte. Miami briefly took the lead in the 62nd minute when substitute David Ayala, after a swift run past Columbus' defense, managed to score past Schulte at the near post. Unfortunately, the goal was disallowed after Ayala was deemed to be marginally offside.

Meanwhile, Columbus was making waves on the other end of the pitch. Their new Moroccan signing, Anass Zaroury, twice hit the woodwork, including with a spectacular long-range effort that struck the underside of the crossbar. Despite these early setbacks, the Crew managed to secure a winning goal deep into stoppage time. Brais Mendez's curled shot from the edge of the area eluded Miami goalkeeper Rocco Rios Novo and found the back of the net, with Senegalese substitute Jamal Thiare finishing the score in the final moments to secure Columbus a crucial 2-1 victory.

The defeat dealt another setback to Miami's aspirations of catching Nashville at the top of the Eastern Conference. The Miami Heat now trail leaders Nashville by 14 points with seven games remaining in the regular season. Columbus, on the other hand, remains in contention for a playoff spot, currently sitting in 12th place with 29 points, just four points shy of the postseason places.