Inter Miami secured yet another win in MLS with the Herons beating Toronto FC on the road as Lionel Messi started from the bench.
The Argentine international played 30 minutes for the Florida franchise as Messi received quite a reception from the Toronto fans in what was his first appearance at BMO Field since signing for Inter Miami.
Despite playing a third of the game with Luis Suarez coming on later for Inter Miami, it was Leonardo Campana who was the match-winner for the Herons, with the Ecuador international keeping his goalscoring run going with a big goal against Toronto.
And manager Tata Martino was pleased with what he saw from Messi and Campana on the pitch.
Martino praises Campana, Messi and Suarez finally playing together
Speaking to the press, Martino shared his excitement on finally getting to see Campana, Messi and Suarez play together in the same attack, an event that has only happened for a few minutes at Inter Miami this season.
Although Messi and Suarez have stolen the headlines, Campana has stepped up time and time again for the Florids franchise this year, with the striker now, rightly, Inter Miami’s all-time leading goalscorer.
And Martino was pleased to see the 24-year-old leading the line with Messi and Suarez, with the manager saying: “We saw Leo [Campana] playing well, motivated, very happy with his selection to the national team.
“We preferred to leave him on the field when Leo [Messi] and Luis came in. It is rare that three can play together, but since a loss or a tie was the same for us, and we were going only for a victory, we left in three forwards and got the prize in the end.”
Campana has been one of Inter Miami’s unsung heroes this season
Inter Miami have shown this year that they are more than just the Messi show, with Kieran Gibbs naming Drake Callander and Julian Gressel as the Herons’ unsung heroes this season whilst Sergio Busquets was named as the Florida side’s MVP by Matt Doyle.
And another player who has been instrumental to Inter Miami’s form has been Campana, who this year has bagged nine goals in all competitions whilst mainly acting as backup for Messi and Suarez in the attack.
Indeed, Campana in his own right would be a star player for every franchise in MLS, yet even with the striker playing second-fiddle to Messi and Suarezm the 24-year-old has shown a maturity that is hard to nurture in the modern game, with the results and form speaking for itself.