Miami beat Vancouver, Crew down Orlando

MIAMI: Inter Miami rested Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez but still managed to extend their unbeaten run in Major League Soccer to 10 games with a hard fought 2-1 win at the Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday.

With neither of their star strikers — or their former Barcelona team-mate midfielder Sergio Busquets — having made the trip to Canada, Miami coach Gerard Martino turned to Ecuadorean forward Leonardo Campana and Finnish winger Robert Taylor in his front line and they delivered the goals.

Martino said none of the former Barcelona trio was injured but that the team felt it was wise to rest them and avoid a 12-hour return flight ahead of a midweek game against Atlanta on Wednesday.

The Whitecaps had sold out their 55,000-seat stadiuminanticipationofmessiplaying.vancouver’s offered half-price food as compensation, but there were signs in the crowd objecting to Messi’s absence.

Taylor put Miami ahead in the 38th minute when he was found by a superb pass from Jordi Alba and cut inside on to his right foot before burying a shot into the far corner.

Taylor then created Miami’s second, in the 54th minute, with Campana leading a counter-attack, switching to Taylor on his left and the winger bursting into the box before picking out the Ecuadorean with a pinpoint pull-back which Campana confidently slotted home.

The Whitecaps reduced the deficit through a Ryan Gauld penalty in the 72nd minute after a foul by Tomas Aviles and Vancouver piled on the pressure in search of an equalizer.

Fafa Picault headed against the post and the Haitian forward caused Miami’s defence a series of problems in the latter stages, but they hung on for the three points.

Diego Rossi scored twice as defending MLS champions Columbus Crew picked up their third straight win on the road with a 2-0 victory at Orlando City.