Yahoo Sports Inter Miami keeps win streak alive without Messi, Suarez and stays atop MLS standings
Inter Miami proved, once again, that it remains the MLS team to beat, even without Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.
Coach Tata Martino’s team won its third game in a row and remained in first place in the East without the dynamic duo Saturday night, beating Nashville SC 2-1 on the road on a header by Ian Fray and a spectacular left-footed blast by Jordi Alba that ranked No. 2 on ESPN “SportsCenter’s” Top 10 Plays of the Day.
The victory extended Miami’s unbeaten road streak to seven games heading into another game away at Charlotte on Wednesday.
Despite numerous absences to key players due to injury and national team call-ups, Inter Miami boasts the league’s best record with 44 points in 13 wins, three losses and five ties. Miami has scored an MLS-best 48 goals and has a plus-18 goal differential with 13 games left to play in the regular season.
Last season, the New York Red Bulls and Charlotte made the MLS playoffs play-in game with 43 points.
Cincinnati is in second place so far this season with 42 points, and the Red Bulls are in third with 35 points. No other team in the East has scored more than 36 goals. Los Angeles Galaxy and Los Angeles FC lead the West with 41 goals apiece.
Martino made two changes to the lineup from the previous win against the Columbus Crew, starting Fede Redondo and Diego Gomez, who were both coming off lengthy injuries. Inter Miami pressed and created chances from the onset.
Gomez, Julian Gressel and Leo Campana all had opportunities to score in the first half. Gressel’s shot hit the crossbar, Gomez’s was saved and Campana’s sailed high.
In the 40th minute, Gressel’s corner kick found Ian Fray at the far post, who headed the ball into the back of the net. It was his second goal in two games after coming back from three knee surgeries.
“I feel great, it’s amazing,” Fray said. “My sister and brother are here with their friends, so that made it even better. More importantly, I’m just happy to be back on the field. Other than scoring, just being able to play is best.”
Four minutes later another corner from Gressel was cleared by a Nashville defender, and the ball fell to Alba, who displayed his world-class technique, chesting it down to his left foot outside the box and launching a perfect volley into the corner of the net. Martino broke into a huge smile and celebrated the goal with his assistant coaches.
“We celebrated that way because Jordi scored a tremendous goal,” Martino said. “I’m not surprised because he is a player of such quality and had already provided two assists in the match, one to Julian and one to Diego, who headed it down and he almost set up Leo Campana, too. He gives us alternatives in attack as well as being a top defender. He is a player of international stature and we are lucky to have him.”
Miami goalkeeper Drake Callender also stood out, making several big saves, including a diving safe on a Hany Mukhtar shot in injury time that would have tied the game.
Rookie Yannick Bright said the win solidified the players’ belief that they can win even without their most famous players.
“When you get to clubs like this, you’ve got to be ready, you never know when your time will come and we showed that,” Bright said. “Ian scored again, for example. You never know when your opportunity will come and you have to make the best of your minutes. I’m happy we won, but now the focus shifts to Charlotte.”
The game against Charlotte kicks off at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday and can be seen on AppleTV.
Inter Miami drops Robbie Robinson
Robbie Robinson, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 MLS Draft, had his contract terminated by the club, the team announced Saturday. He made 53 appearances, had six goals and two assists, but spend most of his four seasons with the team on the injury list.
