Leo Campana scores twice, Inter Miami beats Columbus 2-1 to snap six-game losing streak
From the moment David Beckham launched his Inter Miami team four years ago, all the buzz has been about the team’s highest-paid players and the potential global superstars who have flirted with joining the club, none more than Lionel Messi.
But Saturday night, for the second time in four days, it was a young local product providing the spark for Miami. Benja Cremaschi, an 18-year-old Key Biscayne native, replaced marquee player Rodolfo Pizarro for his first career start in a critical road game against the Columbus Crew and was a big reason Miami won 2-1, snapping a six-game losing streak.
Goalkeeper Drake Callender made seven saves for Miami, which moved up two spots to 12th place in the Eastern Conference with a pair of home games coming up.
Cremaschi provided a perfectly-timed head flick into the path of forward Leo Campana, who scored in the seventh minute to give Miami the early lead over Columbus at a sold-out Lower.com Field. It was the first road goal of the season for Inter Miami. Campana scored again in the 41st minute with a header at the right post from a corner kick by Jean Mota.
As the game wore on, Cremaschi displayed creativity, boundless energy, speed, defensive smarts and poise that belied his years. He is the youngest player in Inter Miami history to record an assist. The Argentine American came up through Inter Miami’s youth academy, and when he signed his pro contract in late-November 2022, he said he was so nervous that he practiced his signature on four sheets of paper before inking the deal.
Miami coach Phil Neville has long touted Cremaschi’s talent and decided this week to let the kid start two games. He started Wednesday’s U.S. Open Cup game against Miami FC, which Inter Miami won in a penalty shootout. In that game, another local talent, Fort Lauderdale native Shanyder Borgelin, scored the tying goal to send the game into overtime.
A third local youngster, 19-year-old Little Havana native David Ruiz, replaced Cremaschi in the 70th minute against the Crew, a day after signing his first-team contract. Meanwhile, high-priced players Josef Martinez and Pizarro remained on the bench and did not play the entire game. Despite holding a 70 percent to 30 percent advantage on possession, the Crew’s lone goal came from Cucho Hernandez in the 10th minute.
“The tide has turned for us, in terms of we now have a group that are fighting and showing the spirit they showed last season,” Neville said.
He said he had a good feeling about his team heading into the Crew game because it remained united through adversity, including the team bus breaking down on the way to FIU for the U.S. Open Cup game and their flight being diverted to Cincinnati while heading to Columbus on Friday.
“We’re a club that wants to produce young players and I really feel we’ve got a crop of young players on the MLS roster who are going to be outstanding for us,” said Neville. “Benja went in and played to the level I knew he could. That kid’s going to be a star, without a shadow of a doubt. David Ruiz coming on, Shanyder, these are big moments for this football club and it bodes well for the future.”
Cremaschi said he has been preparing for this moment and was not nervous.
“Phil told me to be confident and that he needs me, I’m here for a reason and I can do the job,” Cremaschi said. “He told me to play with courage, to hustle, and obviously the team was under pressure, and we know we can handle pressure and the tide was going to turn.”
The teenager models his game after Argentine midfielder Rodrigo de Paul and Belgian midfielder Kevin de Bruyne. Asked what he brings Inter Miami, he said: “I’m young, so I bring a lot of energy. I have an engine that works for a long time. On the attacking side I can contribute with final passes and I almost scored a goal.”
Neville was also heartened to see Campana finally find the back of the net. He missed the first six games of the season with a calf injury and had not scored in his first few two games back.
“He was sensational,” Neville said. “He held up the play. His first goal was really good. His second was typical Leo, getting across the near post. His heading ability is great. He’s only going to get better. If we have Leo Campana fit for the whole season, we’re going to be successful.”
The coach insisted that although Martinez has not scored in an MLS game this season and did not play on Saturday, he is expected to play a major role in the future.
“Josef will start scoring,” Neville said. “There will be a lot written that he did not get on the pitch (Saturday), but he will get on the pitch, will score goals, he’s part of what we’re building and has been instrumental in what we did this week in terms of his spirit. He helped the younger players. He’s frustrated, but our goal scorers start scoring and we start creating chances for them, we will win games.”
Inter Miami (3-6-0) returns to DRV PNK Stadium to play Atlanta United on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
This story was originally published April 29, 2023 at 11:53 PM.