Miami FC hopes to ‘make some noise,’ win back fans with deep playoff run
Miami FC, which will clinch a USL Championship playoff berth with a win Saturday, has toiled in the shadow of Inter Miami since the MLS club launched in South Florida last year.
Coach Paul Dalglish, son of the Scottish legend Kenny Dalglish, and his players hope a deep playoff run will rekindle the fan following the club gained back in the summer of 2017, when it knocked off back-to-back MLS opponents in the
U.S. Open Cup.
Miami FC beat Orlando City 3-1 and Atlanta United 3-2 before losing in the quarterfinals 1-0 to FC Cincinnati.
Italian great Alessandro Nesta was the Miami FC coach back then and the team, which had the best record in the NASL, averaged over 5,000 fans per game at FIU’s Riccardo Silva Stadium, named after the Miami FC owner.
But the league broke apart the next season, Miami FC floundered, then COVID hit in 2020 and the team played with little to no fanfare at Barry University. This season, Dalglish brought in several new players, the team returned to its
FIU home stadium, and the results followed.
Miami has 14 wins, 8 losses and 6 ties and just one loss in the past 10 games. A win at home against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds will clinch a playoff spot.
“The best way to make some noise and let people know we’re back in town is by winning,” said Bolu Akinyode, a Nigeria-born midfielder who joined the team this season and became an instant leader. “If we can go on a run here and win a championship or go on a deep run in the playoffs, people will start to recognize, ‘Oh, Miami FC is back.’
“After the leagues split up, a lot of people forgot about us. Forgot the club exists. And, obviously, with Inter Miami coming to town there might be some confusion. But if we can separate ourselves and bring a title back to South Florida that would get people back in the stadium.”
Akinyode feels local fans can support both the MLS and USL teams.
“We’re actually in Miami, not in Fort Lauderdale, so we are closer for fans who live in Miami,” he said. “We have brought championships to Miami in the past. We have more guys from South Florida, so we’re more homegrown even
though we don’t have the money Inter Miami has. I think we represent the city of Miami well and fans who come have a great time.”
Dalglish agrees.
“We have a different price point, so I see our club as family entertainment, a place you can take your kids, and we have players from all the backgrounds that epitomize Miami,” Dalglish said. “I think it’s great for the area to have Inter Miami and Miami FC.”
Among the players on Miami FC are Cuban captain Ariel Martinez, who is the heart and soul of the team, Lamar Walker and Devon “Speedy” Williams of the Jamaican national team, Joshua Perez of El Salvador’s national team, Junior Palacios of Colombia and Haitian goalkeeper Brian Sylvestre.
“We all understand the history Miami FC has, the championships they won, and we want to get back to that status,” said Akinyode. “[Dalglish’s] mission
was to assemble a group of players and staff to get the club back to where it’s supposed to be. Overall, he’s done a great job to get us headed in the right direction.”
Dalglish said the key to rebuilding the team was finding players who “conform to the DNA of the club and fit our values.” He expects a tough game against Pittsburgh. When they last played, Miami won 3-2 on a late goal.
“We are extremely hungry,” Akinyode said. “Obviously, we’re upset we couldn’t clinch last Sunday but what’s gotten us this far is our mentality and ability to bound back, so we’re excited to get another crack at it Saturday on our home pitch.”
Saturday’s game is at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $5 for youth, $10 for adults. Call 844-MIAMIFC or bit.ly/MIAPlayoffPush Promo code: Playoffs .