Even in the absence of the greatest player to ever step foot on a soccer pitch, manager Gerardo “Tata” Martino’s Floridian side topped Sporting Kansas City 3-2 on Saturday night.
Leading the way was Ecuadorian striker Leonardo Campana, whose two goals propelled Miami to victory. Campana has scored five in his last five appearances, including another brace against FC Cincinnati in the semifinals of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Those numbers, along with his overall impact, prove why he deserves a consistent spot in Miami’s lineup.
Typically, Martino will play Josef Martínez over the aforementioned Campana as a forward. Recent performances show that this simply should not be the case.
Not to discredit the play of Martínez, as the Venezuelan is one of the best number nines in MLS history, but at this moment the Ecuadorian is in much better form. Campana plays with much more energy, pace and he is phenomenal on set pieces, an area where Lionel Messi thrives, making the two the ideal duo.
With Miami now on the MLS Cup Playoff bubble, being just five points out of a spot in the postseason with two games in hand, it is apparent that now more than ever does Miami need to see consistent play from Campana. As he is in a rhythm, scoring consistently against class opponents like Cincinnati and LAFC, the Ecuadorian striker must start in the Miami lineup in the near future.
I think that, given the opportunity, Campana will produce out-of-this-world results and help guide Miami to the playoffs. Going along with that, his recent emergence also deserves a spot on the Ecuadorian national team, given that the country is in a tough battle in qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
All in all, Josef Martínez has truly done nothing wrong, but with Leo Campana’s breakout success, the Venezuelan forward may be relegated to the bench during Miami’s quest for MLS Cup glory.
