Something’s about to break as Inter Miami clash with Columbus Crew | OneFootball

It's unbeaten versus unbeaten. And no exaggeration there. Columbus Crew and Inter Miami are meeting Saturday's game on the top beginnings to the 2025 MLS season. One of them, Wilfried Nancy's side, has five victories, three draws, and sits atop the Eastern Conference. The other, Javier Mascherano's side, is unbeaten with four victories and three draws. They are three points between them, but this round will re-write the books.

The match will not be played at the Crew home but instead at Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland in place of the Lower.com Field. In spite of the venue change, a lot is anticipated. Columbus seeks a fourth win in a row and can go five points ahead, depending on other fixtures. Inter will go to the top with a win, subject to the outcomes between Charlotte and Cincinnati.

Players under pressure to hold on to thin lead

Though atop the conference, Columbus knows its lead is wafer-thin. Wilfried Nancy is seeking to manage not just the momentum, but the peril too. The team gave up a goal just seven minutes into the game against St. Louis City last week but registered a 2–1 comeback win with goals by Steven Moreira and Diego Rossi. That road win kept their unbeaten streak intact, but those initial minutes sent out a warning flag the coach couldn't ignore. The Crew's unbeaten streak also helps sustain confidence, even following the loss of Colombian forward Cucho Hernández to Spanish soccer.

Without Colombian forward Cucho Hernández, the team never lost its offensive flow, and that is mostly due to Diego Rossi. The Uruguayan has already scored five goals and registered one assist, playing a central role in the attacking formation of the team. He's not the only one, as Jacen Russell-Rowe has also been adding good numbers to the team. Together, they've scored eight goals and currently lead the frontline, which has only just been augmented by a new element.

Inter Miami CF v Columbus Crew | Jason Mowry/GettyImages

Inter Miami is looking to catch up before continental semifinal

Javier Mascherano's team is also experiencing pressure, though remaining unbeaten. They played out a 0-0 draw with Chicago Fire last Sunday before a record attendance of 62,358 fans at Soldier Field. Lionel Messi had excellent opportunities, five shots and two key passes, but was unable to score. The result maintained their streak, but left one with the feeling that they could've left with more.

Before it faces Columbus, Inter already has another giant game to look forward to. On Thursday, they will fly out to face Vancouver Whitecaps in the first leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup semifinal. So while the MLS title is heating up, Mascherano also needs to get his roster ready for one of the most important games in the season. However, complete focus is on Saturday's game to stay near the top of the standings.

Inter tops recent head-to-head with Columbus Crew

This will be the tenth meeting between Columbus Crew and Inter Miami in MLS history. So far, the Florida team has the upper hand with five wins to Columbus' three, and one draw. In 2024, they played each other three times, Inter won both regular season matches, while Columbus won the Leagues Cup round of 16.

The most recent Inter win against Columbus was away, a 3-2 victory last October. The victory also captured the Supporters' Shield, the club's second championship. That recent good past could affect the psyche of the team again, despite this weekend's game being on the road.