Lionel Messi and Inter Miami get their first look at what a potential MLS title match could look like as the Herons travel to meet the Columbus Crew on Wednesday evening.
With just a few more matches remaining in the regular season, both teams are gearing up for the upcoming playoffs, which begin later this month.
Inter Miami lead the Supporters’ Shield standings and can clinch the regular-season crown with victory today, but they are still new to MLS postseason play, having only made the playoffs twice before and never progressing past the first round.
The Crew, meanwhile, must win to keep their slim Supporters’ Shield hopes alive but know that, as defending league champions, they will still be considered strong contenders to repeat.
The Sporting News is following the Columbus Crew vs. Inter Miami match live, providing score updates, commentary and highlights as they happen.
Latest live updates | Team news and lineups
Columbus Crew vs. Inter Miami live score
| Score | Goal scorers | |
| Columbus Crew | โ | โ |
| Inter Miami | โ | โ |
Location: Lower.com Field (Columbus, OH)
Referee: Drew Fischer
Starting lineups (predicted):
Columbus Crew (3-4-3, right to left): 28. Patrick Schulte (GK) โ 31. Steven Moreira, 4. Rudy Camacho, 18. Malte Amundsen โ 23. Mohamed Farsi, 20. Alexandru Matan, 6. Darlington Nagbe, 27. Maximilian Arfsten โ 19. Jacen Russell-Rowe, 9. Cucho Hernandez, 10. Diego Rossi.
Inter Miami (4-3-3, right to left): 1. Drake Callender (GK) โ 57. Marcelo Weigandt, 32. Noah Allen, 5. Sergio Busquets, 18. Jordi Alba โ 24. Julian Gressel, 55. Federico Redondo, 30. Benjamin Cremaschi โ 10. Lionel Messi, 9. Luis Suarez, 7. Matias Rojas.
MORE: Find out which games are streaming free on MLS Season pass from Apple TV each week
Columbus Crew vs. Inter Miami live updates, highlights and commentary
1 hour 45 mins to kick: The stakes tonight are clear for Inter Miami โ win and the Supporters’ Shield is secure.
For Columbus Crew, their pathway towards the MLS regular season title is a little murkier, but it starts with avoiding defeat tonight. In all likelihood, a victory is necessary for the math to make sense. They have a game in hand, so victory would pull them to within five points with three matches to go, a reasonable gap to recover.
2 hours to kickoff: After missing the World Cup qualifiers in September, Lionel Messi has been called back into the Argentina national team for the matches this month!
#SelecciรณnMayor Lista de convocados ๐ฆ๐ท para los prรณximos encuentros ante Venezuela y Bolivia, correspondientes a la Fecha FIFA de Eliminatorias. pic.twitter.com/4XKJJ5BRX0
โ ๐ฆ๐ท Selecciรณn Argentina โญโญโญ (@Argentina) October 2, 2024
Columbus Crew vs. Inter Miami kickoff time
This MLS regular season match kicks off from Lower.com Field on Wednesday, October 2 at 7:45 p.m. local time in Columbus, Ohio. Here’s how that time translates across some of the major territories around the globe:
| Date | Kickoff time | |
| USA/Canada | Wed, Oct. 2 | 7:45 p.m. ET |
| USA/Canada | Wed, Oct. 2 | 4:45 p.m. PT |
| UK | Thu, Oct. 3 | 12:45 a.m. BST |
| Australia | Thu, Oct. 3 | 9:45 a.m. AEST |
| India | Thu, Oct. 3 | 5:15 a.m. IST |
Columbus Crew vs. Inter Miami lineups, team news
Columbus boss Wilfried Nancy has enjoyed exceptional availability from his squad for much of the season, with just backup goalkeeper Evan Bush the only long-term absence for much of the year.
Defensive midfielder Sean Zawadzki has missed each of the last two matches with a rib injury, and could miss out again today, but otherwise they are in great shape with the playoffs approaching.
Columbus Crew projected starting lineup (3-4-3): Schulte (GK) โ Moreira, Camacho, Amundsen โ Farsi, Matan, Nagbe, Arfsten โ Russell-Rowe, C. Hernandez, Rossi.
Columbus Crew subs (9): Matchday squads released one hour before kickoff
The defensive line for Tata Martino has neared a breaking point with the playoffs looming. Tomas Aviles is suspended for picking up yet another yellow card last time out against Charlotte FC, while Nicolas Freire is out for the year with a torn ACL and David Martinez continues to recover from a groin injury. Serhiy Kryvtsov, Noah Allen, or Ian Fray are likely to step in at center-back alongside Sergio Busquets.
Thankfully, Lionel Messi is fit for the stretch run, but could be rested if Tata Martino decides to rest him for this late-season road trip as the postseason nears. Facundo Farias remains out with a torn ACL and Leo Afonso is not yet back from his groin injury. Matias Rojas has recovered from his ankle injury and should start up front.
Inter Miami projected starting lineup (4-3-3): Callender (GK) โ Weigandt, Allen, Busquets, Alba โ Gressel, Redondo, Cremaschi โ Messi, Suarez, Rojas.
Inter Miami subs (9): Matchday squads released one hour before kickoff
