- Away form: Inter Miami CF have scored 28 goals in 13 away matches in MLS 2026, winning eight of those matches (W8, D3, L2).
- Home form: Columbus Crew are 5W-2D-6L at home in MLS 2026.
- Tactics: Laurent Courtois has Columbus Crew operating from a back three with wingbacks, which can overload wide areas when they press up.
Messi and Crew face off at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field
Inter Miami CF's MLS 2026 form is somewhat mixed, but they are unbeaten in five matches, winning once and drawing four times in all competitions. The Herons have drawn three straight, including a 2-2 draw on Wednesday in a Campeones Cup meeting with MLS 2026 side Nashville SC, having already tied the same scoreline with San Diego FC.
These results have seen The Herons slip to 4th place with 46 points from 26 games, ahead of Columbus Crew, who have 26 points from 26 matches and sit 27th.
Columbus are coming off consecutive wins, a 2-1 US Open Cup victory over Orlando City and a 2-0 MLS 2026 win over CF Montreal, but they'll be in for a very different kind of test on Sunday against a Miami side who have been a road menace in this league.
Herons can edge out the Black & Gold
Previous meetings
Miami tied the last MLS 2026 meeting 2-2 in Miami, while the previous two meetings were won one and drawn one by Inter Miami CF. Columbus average 2.5 goals against Inter Miami CF in five meetings, so this fixture tends to throw up plenty of goals.
Tactics and players
Angel Guillermo Hoyos has his team playing a possession first game with Messi at its heart, as the ball is funneled through the half-space areas and the Argentina international is often the final pass between the lines to get his team to the goal.
Key points
Miami are a short odds at 2.12 for the away match, but Columbus are overpriced at 2.9 and the draw is also a bit short at 3.95.
I'll lean towards a Miami win, but the match odds are tight so I'm going for goals and both teams to score at 1.36 and 1.33, respectively.
- Diego Rossi is Columbus Crew's most significant scoring threat, with six MLS 2026 goals in 15 games, but they don't get many balls between the lines and don't have a Messi who can turn nothing into something from 40 yards out.
- Columbus have a back-three system with wingbacks and are more direct in the last third, so that should make for an interesting chess match on Sunday.
- The Herons have scored eight goals across their last five games, so this could be another exciting game.
