Inter Miami beats Cucho Hernandez's Columbus Crew

Barely 24 hours before the kick-off of the Copa America in the city of Atlanta, here in South Florida, Inter Miami has the prologue of what will be a month full of emotions. With the whistle of Ukrainian Sergii Boiko, Inter Miami exposes the leadership of the Eastern Conference against the sixth-placed and reigning MLS champion, Juan Camilo "Cucho" Hernández's Columbus Crew.

The

Miami team, decimated by the loss of its greatest idols Leonel Messi and Luis Suarez (Copa América), plus the significant losses of Tomas Avilés due to suspension and Weigandt, Redondo and Gómez due to injury, faced Cucho Hernández and Diego Rossi. The first half would begin with Inter Miami pressing in the opponent's half and generating football at the feet of German Julián Gressel. In the 10th minute, Tata Martino's team would find the net thanks to a cross from the German Gressel just to the head of Ian Fray. The intensity of the Miami pink team did not drop and they scored the second of the match in the 21st minute with another area play and a header by Ecuadorian Leandro Campana. With the two to zero, the South Florida team relaxed a little and gave the ground and the ball to the South American duo of Cucho Hernández and the Uruguayan Diego Rossi. The visitor's discount would come in the 39th minute, Morris sneaks down the right flank and sends a perfect cross to the heart of the area where the Colombian Juan Camilo Hernández would arrive, who would only have to touch it with his right foot and send it to save for the 2-1 with which the first half would end.

The

second half would bring a Columbus Crew that would take control of the ball and the ground against an Inter Miami that felt the ravages of the hot and humid weather of the city. The MLS champion with Cucho Hernández would bombard the goal of an inspired Drake Callender who kept his clean sheet in the second half of the match. In the epilogue of the match, DT Wilfred Nancy would put all the meat on the grill and give way to the Colombian Marino Hinestroza, who in 10 minutes showed that he deserves more minutes in the champion and generated many dangerous chances to place the attackers one-on-one, but in front was a fantastic Callender who became a giant to maintain the advantage for Inter Miami.

An

important victory for Inter Miami against the MLS champion to maintain the leadership of the Eastern Conference with 41 points. For its part, Cucho Hernández's Columbus is now in Play-in positions and must continue in the fight to achieve the direct ticket to the MLS finals.