Inter Miami get quick start, beat Columbus Crew 2-1 without Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez

FORT LAUDERDALE — Ian Fray and Leo Campana each scored in the opening 22 minutes, and short-handed Inter Miami beat the Columbus Crew 2-1 on Wednesday night without Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez.

Miami (12-3-5) played without Messi, Suárez and midfielder Matías Rojas due to international duty in the Copa América.

Columbus (7-3-6), the reigning MLS Cup champions, had won its last four road games. Columbus hasn’t played at Lower.com Field since May 11, a string of six straight games.

Fray, in his first MLS game since July 15, 2023 due to an 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 first to 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.

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