Inter Milan remains the only undefeated team in the North American MLS this season. In the top match of the Eastern Conference, Lionel Messi’s team won 1-0 at Columbus Crew.
Columbus was top of the Eastern Conference going into the matchday, having won five and drawn three of their eight games. On the night before Easter Sunday (CET), they hosted Inter Miami, the other MSL team still unbeaten this season.
And Inter maintained their clean sheet with a 1-0 victory, secured by Benjamin Cremaschi’s goal in the 30th minute. 60,614 fans attended the top match at Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland. It was the highest attendance outside of a game played by the NFL team Cleveland Browns, which normally plays its home games there.
Messi unremarkable
However, it took almost half an hour for the game to pick up pace. First, Miami’s Argentine keeper Ustari had to save a shot from Arfsten in the 29th minute. The decisive goal came immediately afterwards: Suarez sent Weigandt down the right wing, whose precise cross was only too easy for Cremaschi to tap in from a few meters out.
In the second half, Columbus pushed for the equalizer, but Ustari had a good day and prevented goals from Rossi (46th, 60th) and Arfsten (80th). Argentine world champion Messi was largely inconspicuous and only had one shot on goal in stoppage time, which Columbus keeper Schulte saved (90+5).
Reus celebrates comeback for LA Galaxy
On Saturday evening (CEST), Marco Reus celebrated his comeback for Los Angeles Galaxy after a five-week injury break. However, the former Dortmund player was unable to celebrate a victory on his return, with the Californians losing 0-1 to FC Austin. Reus, who had been out since mid-March with a knee injury, came on for Ramirez in the 62nd minute.
Vazquez scored the winning goal for the Texans in front of 20,738 spectators in the 81st minute. The American had previously failed to beat Galaxy keeper McCarthy from the spot in the 67th minute. In stoppage time, Austin’s Hines-Ike was shown a second yellow card (90+2), but LA was unable to capitalize on its numerical advantage in the final minutes.
