Inter Miami's playoff ambitions have taken a damaging hit after a late collapse at Columbus Crew left them with back-to-back dropped points in MLS. A stoppage-time red card for Santiago Morales reduced the Herons to ten men in the dying moments, and Columbus exploited the advantage immediately, sealing a 2-1 win that will sting, as reported in Inter Miami's player ratings vs Columbus Crew. Lionel Messi had equalised in the 33rd minute, but disciplinary fragility undid the team's efforts when it mattered most.

This result follows a frustrating 2-2 draw against San Diego FC the previous week, when Messi scored his 101st goal for the club but defensive errors again cost the team, as Goal reported. New manager Kily Gonzalez was left visibly frustrated after that game, and the pattern of conceding late points is becoming a concern. Three draws in four MLS outings before the Columbus defeat already pointed to a side struggling to convert quality into results.

Despite the setbacks, Miami remain third in the Eastern Conference with 46 points from 27 games, level with second-placed New England Revolution, according to the latest standings data. The playoff race remains tight, and the margin for further dropped points is shrinking. A home fixture against DC United on October 10 offers a chance to respond, though Gonzalez will need answers to the defensive and disciplinary problems before then.