Inter Miami's Leagues Cup defense ends with 3-2 loss to Columbus Crew

Columbus, Aug 14 (IANS) Inter Miami CF's campaign in the 2024 Leagues Cup came to a dramatic end as they were narrowly defeated 3-2 by the Columbus Crew in the Round of 16 at Lower.com Field.

Inter Miami fielded a strong lineup featuring Drake Callender in goal and a formidable back five led by Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba. Paraguayan internationals Matías Rojas and Diego Gomez spearheaded the attack, with Luis Suarez adding firepower up front.

Inter Miami wasted no time making their presence felt. From the opening whistle, the team pressed aggressively in the final third, eager to seize control of the match. Their efforts paid off early, as Rojas found the back of the net in the 10th minute.

Gomez's high press on the left side of the pitch led to a crucial turnover, and he quickly fed the ball to Rojas, who delivered a diving header that gave Inter Miami a 1-0 lead. This goal marked Rojas's fourth in the 2024 Leagues Cup.

The first half concluded with Inter Miami maintaining their slender 1-0 lead. The second half saw Inter Miami extend their advantage in the 62nd minute when Gomez, after a brilliant give-and-go with Suarez, curled a right-footed shot into the far post to make it 2-0. It was Gomez’s second goal in the competition.

However, the Columbus Crew refused to go down without a fight. In a span of just 13 minutes, the home side turned the match on its head. Christian Ramirez pulled one back for Columbus in the 67th minute, and moments later, Diego Rossi equalised with a clinical finish. Rossi struck again in the 80th minute, completing a remarkable comeback and giving Columbus a 3-2 lead.

Reflecting on the match, head coach Gerardo 'Tata' Martino praised his team's performance, saying, “The truth is that we played 75 brilliant minutes, in which we could even have scored a third goal… Surely we’ll go and compete and continue trying to win a league title.”

Inter Miami’s journey in the 2024 Leagues Cup included a 0-2 victory over Club Puebla and a narrow 2-1 defeat to Tigres UANL in the group stage. They advanced to the Round of 16 after a thrilling 4-3 win over Toronto FC in the Round of 32.

With the Leagues Cup now behind them, Inter Miami will focus on the remainder of their MLS season. After a brief break, the team will return to action on Saturday, August 24, when they host 2023 Supporters’ Shield winners FC Cincinnati at Chase Stadium.

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