Victor Wanyama watched from the bench as Inter Miami, led by Luis Suarez and with a lesser impact from Lionel Messi, mounted a comeback to defeat CF Montreal 3-2.
The game began with Montreal taking an early lead thanks to Bryce Duke, who scored in the 22nd minute with a swift counter-attack that ended with the ball slipping through the Inter Miami goalkeeper’s legs. The excitement escalated when Jules-Anthony Vilsaint doubled Montreal’s lead ten minutes later, putting significant pressure on Messi and his team.
Messi, having briefly left the pitch for medical attention after a hard tackle, returned to see his team trailing by two goals. In need of inspiration, it was newcomer Matias Rojas who stepped up, channeling Messi-like skills to score a stunning free kick with his left foot just before the half, making it 2-1.
The equalizer came shortly after, in the 48th minute, when Luis Suarez found the net from a corner. The comeback was then completed by Benjamin Cremaschi, who scored in the 59th minute to secure the victory. This win was Inter Miami’s fifth consecutive one, keeping them at the top of the Eastern Conference with 27 points.
Despite starting his first match of the season earlier in the week in the Canadian Cup, Wanyama was returned to the bench as coach Laurent Courtois opted for his preferred midfield duo of Samuel Piette and Mathieu Choiniere. Prior to this, Wanyama had made five substitute appearances in 10 matches.
Following this defeat, Montreal dropped to 12th in the 15-team Eastern Conference standings, with an equal number of points from 11 games.
