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Why Columbus Crew vs. Lionel Messi and Inter Miami is a match Major League Soccer has dreamed of

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Why Columbus Crew vs. Lionel Messi and Inter Miami is a match Major League Soccer has dreamed of


COLUMBUS, Ohio — It’s a debut that has been months in the making but has twice been delayed.

But on Wednesday night at Lower.com Field in Columbus, the player considered by many to be the greatest of his generation gets his first crack at a burgeoning juggernaut.

On paper, it’s just a Wednesday night regular season match in Major League Soccer between Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami and the Columbus Crew. But in some ways, it means much, much more.

It’s a matchup featuring arguably the best soccer player of the 2000s against a team with a resume as good as any in North America lately. The Crew have won four major trophies in the 2020s, including two MLS Cups, the 2021 Campeones Cup and the 2024 Leagues Cup.

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Wednesday’s match, however, won’t be Messi’s first in the state of Ohio. His Inter Miami team played at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati last season in a U.S. Open Cup semifinal match vs. FC Cincinnati. Inter Miami won in penalties, 3-3 (5-4).

This will be Messi’s first Ohio match in MLS play, and the stakes could not be higher for both squads.

The Crew sit in second place in the Eastern Conference, eight points behind Inter Miami, but with a match in hand. They have three matches left this season after Wednesday, while Inter Miami has just two.

So any hopes of the Crew staying alive in the race for the Supporters’ Shield, given to the best regular season team in MLS, along with home field throughout the playoffs, start with defeating Messi and Miami Wednesday night.

However, an Inter Miami win clinches the Supporters’ Shield.

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The two clubs have played twice this season: once in the regular season in Miami and once in the Leagues Cup in Columbus. The home team won both matches, but Messi did not play either match due to an ankle injury he suffered in Copa America 2024 playing for Argentina.

His injury also kept him out of the 2024 MLS All-Star Game in July, which was also played in Columbus.

Even at 36, Messi has still been very good in MLS with 15 goals and 11 assists in 16 matches. He scored his 15th of the season on Saturday in a 1-1 draw at home vs. Charlotte FC.

Inter Miami is 9-1-6 in the 16 MLS matches Messi has played this season and 10-4-2 when he’s out of the lineup. Part of why Inter Miami has been successful despite Messi being in and out of the lineup is that he brought several of his old teammates from Barcelona with him in Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba.

But what awaits Messi and company on Wednesday night is the reigning MLS Cup champions and one of the best home-field advantages in North American soccer.

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How to watch for free on FS1 at 7:30 p.m. Eastern: Fubo (free trial), DirecTV Stream (free trial). Also, Sling has promotional offers) and MLS Season Pass.

The Crew have lost just two home matches since May, both in controversial fashion.

They suffered a 4-0 loss to the Seattle Sounders on Sept. 7, but it was a game where their top two goalkeepers were on international duty and their third-string keeper was sent off in the 38th minute. It forced midfielder and Olmsted Falls native Sean Zawadzki into goal with his team down a man for the final 52 minutes of regulation. The team was not allowed to bring in a fourth goalkeeper, leaving manager Wilfried Nancy to rip the decision after the match to not allow the Crew to add an emergency goalkeeper.

On Sept. 25, the Crew lost the Campeones Cup to Mexico side Club America, 1-1 (5-4 on penalties). But that match had its own controversial moment. The Crew’s Malte Amundsen missed off the crossbar in the sixth round of the penalty shootout. However, Club America goalkeeper Luis Malagon was off his line prior to Amundsen’s kick.

VAR was not used, and Club America won the match on the next penalty, denying the Crew a fifth trophy in the 2020s.

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Lately, Columbus has been a fortress where few teams have success. Inter Miami felt that earlier this season in the Leagues Cup Round of 16 on Aug. 13 when it blew a 2-0 lead in the final 23 minutes. The Crew won, 3-2, on its way to winning the Leagues Cup.

Columbus also has its own firepower to counter what Messi brings.

Cucho Hernandez is among the league’s most dynamic offensive threats, with 16 goals and 13 assists in 24 matches, earning him serious consideration to be league MVP.

They also boast the league’s best defense, allowing just 31 goals in 30 matches. Only three other clubs have allowed fewer than 40 goals.

It’s very possible Wednesday night is a preview of the Eastern Conference Final. Inter Miami and Columbus are the two best teams in points per match and they’ve already played two thrilling matches.

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But with Messi being available Wednesday night, the dynamic changes entirely.

It’s the face of Major League Soccer vs. the most successful team of the 2020s.

While the nature of soccer never guarantees that there will be a winner, this is the kind of matchup that MLS hoped it could have when Messi came to Miami.

Something will have to give between the world-famous superstar and the dynamic team, even if the two sides split the points.

If nothing else, it’s a chance for the two sides to send a message for what December and the MLS playoffs may bring.

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Match facts

Who: Inter Miami (19-4-8, 65 points) at Columbus Crew (16-5-9, 57 points).

When: Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024.

Time: 7:30 p.m. Eastern.

Where: Lower.com Field, Columbus.

TV: FS1.

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Best live streaming options: Fubo (free trial), DirecTV Stream (free trial), Sling (promotional offers) and MLS Season Pass.



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Your 2026 Miami Dolphins Draft Picks Expectations

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Your 2026 Miami Dolphins Draft Picks Expectations


Highest ceiling: Proctor. There’s a reason they drafted him in the first round. If he loses 25 pounds, he can be a multi-time first team All Pro. But he has to put the work in and not be lazy.

Lowest ceiling: Caleb Douglas. Don’t see him fixing his drops. But I hope he proves me wrong.

Best overall pick: Jacob Rodriguez. Guy will be a sideline to sideline tackling machine.

Best value pick: Kyle Louis. He should have went in the 3rd round and will be a major contributor.

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Best pick no one else sees as great…yet: Seydou Traore. The more tape I watch on this guy at Mississippi State, the more I like. If he refines his route running and hands, he could be our starting TE in 2 or 3 years.

Biggest reach pick: Caleb Douglas. See above. He should have went in the 5th, maybe 6th.

Biggest missed opportunity: Not drafting Bain. I sure hope those short arms limit him in the NFL. Now the guy has a huge chip on his shoulder and is pissed at the 14 teams that passed on him, including Miami. The guy was a menace in college. I’m not looking forward to facing the Bucs in the future.



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Miami Area Gets First New Manufactured Home Community in Decades

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Miami Area Gets First New Manufactured Home Community in Decades


Miami-Dade County is one of the most desirable places to live in the country, but its median listing price of $595,868 is pushing many everyday people out of the market.

That’s why an affordable alternative is drawing attention.

Cottage Grove, a manufactured housing community under construction in South Miami-Dade, will feature 349 single-family homes with prices starting at just $129,900. It will be the first new manufactured housing development in Miami-Dade in decades.

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“The interest has been tremendous,” Ross Partrich, the CEO of RHP Properties, which owns Cottage Grove, tells Realtor.com®. “The market is showing there’s a real need—we’ve had over 1,000 inquiries.”

RHP Properties has built manufactured housing communities across 31 states, including Florida, but this is its first project in Miami-Dade.

“Cottage Grove addresses a critical gap in the housing supply at a time when rising home prices and construction costs are putting homeownership out of reach for many families and when supply is shrinking due to redevelopment,” says Partrich.

The entrance to Cottage Grove, a new manufactured housing communityRHP Properties

According to the Manufactured Housing Institute, approximately 22 million Americans reside in manufactured homes. These homes are faster and cheaper to build.

“There’s much less waste and more precision when you’re building in a factory,” says Partrich. “The economies of scale are better, and we’re passing on the savings to our residents.”

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About the community

At Cottage Grove, homeowners will own their houses but lease the land beneath them, paying $1,445 a month in lot rent.

Partrich says residents of the community will enjoy five-star amenities.

“That includes a beautifully maintained pool with a large sun deck, contemporary clubhouse, fitness center, yoga and lounge rooms, scenic biking and walking trails, and serene gazebos,” he says.

While many manufactured housing communities in Florida are age-restricted to 55 and older, this 92-acre community will welcome residents of all ages.

“The playground, expansive green spaces, and gated entrance add to the community’s appeal for families,” says Partrich.

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Partrich says people have already begun putting down deposits on the homes—each of which has four bedrooms and is around 1,600 square feet.

“They’re spacious, with open floor plans, multiple living areas, and kitchens equipped with stainless-steel appliances and islands,” he explains.

The first group of homes is expected to be completed and move-in-ready by late summer.

Cottage Grove in South Miami-Dade, FL, prepares lots for the manufactured homes to be installedRHP Properties
The swimming pool at Cottage GroveRHP Properties

Durability and long-term value

In hurricane-prone Florida, durability and safety are key considerations.

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Homes in Cottage Grove meet a set of quality standards from the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

They’re set on concrete foundations, and Partrich says they’re able to withstand hurricane-force winds—which gives residents added peace of mind.

Over the past seven years, manufactured homes sold without land have appreciated by 51.6%, according to the Realtor.com Perks of the Park: Mobile Homes as an Affordable Alternative Report.

By comparison, median single-family homes rose 58.6% over the same period.

“Financing has typically been more challenging to obtain on manufactured homes, with fewer lenders and higher interest rates,” Florida real estate agent Cara Ameer tells Realtor.com.

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“Most manufactured housing communities use land leases, adding a monthly fee that can make it harder for some buyers to qualify or stay long-term. As a result, appreciation has historically been more limited,” Ameer explains.

But Florida real estate broker Jeff Lichtenstein, CEO of Echo Fine Properties, says he believes manufactured houses will only continue to rise in popularity, especially in the Sunshine State.

“Stronger manufactured homes are going to be big,” he says. “The reason is that people just want a piece of the American dream and don’t want to be stuck in rentals. These, in many cases, are stepping-stone communities that let someone get started and not be forced to move two counties away. It solves the problem of homeownership, individual placement, and a sense of community.”

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Four Convicted in Miami for Roles in Killing of Haiti President

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Four Convicted in Miami for Roles in Killing of Haiti President


Four men were convicted in Miami for their roles in the 2021 assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse that further destabilized the government and led to years of violence in the country.

Jurors returned guilty verdicts Friday against the men, who prosecutors said had organized the plot using Colombian mercenaries and Haitian gang members to violently oust Moïse and replace him with a friendly successor to allow them to obtain lucrative contracts with the government. The group helped supply equipment from Florida to aid in the killing, prosecutors said.



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