Inter Miami Are the Last Undefeated MLS Team: Takeaways From Win vs. Columbus Crew | OneFootball

Inter Miami CF are no strangers to attracting record crowds on the road, and they did so again in Cleveland on Saturday when 60,614 fans packed into Huntington Bank Field for the Heron’s 1–0 win over Columbus Crew SC.

Despite the high attendance, Miami’s superstars were unable to deliver a memorable match as Columbus shut down Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, Luis Suárez and Jordi Alba. Instead, it was a cross from Marcelo Weigandt and a finish from Benjamin Cremaschi that secured all three points for the Herons.

The win brings Miami to 18 points in eight games and keeps them tied with Columbus for the top seed in the Eastern Conference. The victory also gives the Herons a slight confidence boost after two straight draws.

While the win is good news for Miami, Saturday was yet another match under head coach Javier Mascherano that left fans with a lot of questions heading into Matchday 10 against FC Dallas and more importantly, the Concacaf Champions Cup semifinal against Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Thursday.

Check out three takeaways from Inter Miami's victory below.

Inter Miami CF Struggled to Control

Daniel Gazdag (middle) missed several big chances for Columbus Crew SC on Saturday / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Inter Miami did not get much from their superstars on the day, but the goal from Cremaschi was a showcase moment of the depth the squad has built in their efforts to become the best team in North America.

However, Saturday’s match isn’t one they'll want to repeat too often. Despite a fairly even start, Columbus controlled much of the game and took advantage of Miami’s backline, which looked disjointed with Gonzalo Luján playing as a center back.

Through the 90 minutes, Columbus outshot Miami 16–7 and had an xG of 3.14 compared to Miami’s 0.86. On most other days, a match like that falls the way of the dominant team, yet Miami were lucky to benefit from fumbled Columbus chances and four saves from goalkeeper Oscar Ustari.

They won’t have much time to sort things out ahead of Thursday, though, and allowing that many chances against Brian White and the Vancouver Whitecaps could prove costly.

Unbeaten Streak Ties Record

Oscar Ustari (left) has established himself as the top goalkeeper for Javier Mascherano's Inter Miami. / Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

Saturday’s match was a clash of the two remaining unbeaten teams in MLS, and Miami prevailed as the final one standing of the 30 clubs that make up the league. At the same time, their undefeated streak in MLS play reached 19 games, matching the longest unbeaten run in MLS history, previously achieved by FC Dallas in 2010–11 and Columbus in 2004–05.

The 2025 season hasn’t seen them play the same dominant style as they did under Tata Martino on the way to their MLS regular season points record mark of 74 in 2024, yet their desire to get results out of every match has been a standout piece with the squad.

Against the Crew, Miami won 61% of the tackles, had nine interceptions, four blocks and 30 clearances, many of which came in the final minutes of the second half when Columbus forced nearly every player forward.

It may not be the same flashy soccer, but with the added defensive efforts, the 2025 Inter Miami side could be more suited for the MLS Cup Playoffs than last year’s team, which fell to Atlanta United in the Round One of a best-of-three series.

Will Messi Be Okay?

Lionel Messi has failed to post a goal or assist in his last two MLS matches / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Messi had four shots and nine passes into the final third against the Crew, but was seen limping through the final portions of the match and was not taken off by Mascherano. After Miami made a triple substitution in the 77th minute, the Argentine’s movements were heavily reserved, and he struggled to make himself available for passes.

At the final whistle, he quickly made his way down the tunnel.

While Mascherano said, “Messi is fine, nothing happened to him, I saw him in the locker room,” after the match, his status could be a concern moving forward. After dealing with soft-tissue injuries in March, Messi has logged significant minutes, putting in full 90-minute efforts five times in the past 16 days.

Mascherano has been hesitant to rotate his squad and will hope the big-four, led by Messi, will all be good to go for when the club travels to Vancouver, which is either a five-hour flight from Cleveland or nearly a seven-hour flight from Miami.