Campana on target as Miami down Atlanta

Miami (AFP) – Ecuador international Leonardo Campana maintained his red-hot scoring streak as resurgent Inter Miami came from behind to bag their fourth straight victory across all competitions on Sunday with a 2-1 win over Atlanta.

Campana bagged his fifth goal in his past four games as David Beckham’s Miami secured a third straight league victory, lifting the club into eighth place in Major League Soccer’s Eastern Conference standings.

Campana, who also scored in Inter’s midweek US Open Cup victory over Miami FC, once again displayed his eye for goal in the 28th minute, coolly tucking away a low finish after DeAndre Yedlin’s inviting cross from the right flank.

That strike cancelled out Atlanta’s scrambled opening goal from Ronaldo Cisneros, who bundled home a close-range finish from a corner after 13 minutes to give the visitors the lead.

Campana, who had been preferred by Phil Neville ahead of Argentinian veteran Gonzalo Higuain, further repaid the Miami head coach’s faith in him with an assist for Bryce Duke’s 64th-minute winner.

Ariel Lassiter’s through ball split the Atlanta defence and Campana was on hand to calmly square for Duke, who made no mistake with the finish.

Miami’s recent winning streak is in stark contrast to their shaky start to the season, when Neville’s men took just one point from their opening five games to languish at the foot of the table.

“We spoke before the game about the set of values that the players want amongst themselves, and you saw those values out on the pitch today,” Neville said.

“I feel as if now with the results that we’re getting, people will start to see a different Inter Miami. That’s what I wanted all along – one with a clear identity. 

“I still feel there’s loads and loads of stuff we can do better but we have the key qualities that make successful teams successful – indomitable spirit, indomitable togetherness and fighting spirit.”