Miami seeking elusive victory after frustrating tie against D.C.
Soccer coaches and players learn to accept ties as part of the sport, but anything less than a victory Wednesday night at Subaru Park will be a disappointment for visiting Inter Miami and host Philadelphia Union.
The Union has lost only one of its 11 league games this season, but five games ended in a tie and coach Jim Curtin said his team is hungry for three points.
“We’ve had ties that should be wins, so I think you’re going to see a good response against a Miami team that is very well coached by Mr. Neville,”
Curtin said. “He’s done a great job with a roster that’s completely changed. They’re trying to build a culture. You see some really good performances, but they’ve been unlucky some games recently, similar to us.”
Both teams are coming off frustrating draws.
Despite playing with a man advantage from the 55th minute on, Philadelphia was forced to settle for a 1-1 tie with the New York Red Bulls on Saturday.
Inter Miami let a 2-0 lead slip away on Saturday and wound up with a 2-2 tie at home against D.C. United.
“We enter this game with confidence but slightly frustrated because we look at that [D.C.] game as two points dropped,” Miami coach Phil Neville said. “We need to turn that draw into victories. We know where a win will take us on the league table.”
Miami is mired in 13th place in the Eastern Conference, one spot out of last place, with a 3-6-2 record (11 points). A win on Wednesday (7:30 p.m., My33, UniMas) would move the team in striking distance of the middle of the table. The last time Miami played at Subaru Park, on April 24, 2021, it came away with a 2-1 win with goals by brothers Gonzalo and Federico Higuain.
Curtin said their defenders will have their eyes on Leo Campana, who leads Miami with six goals and two assists, and also try to disrupt Jean Mota, DeAndre Yedlin and Gregore.
Neville said of the Union: “Outstanding players. Clear philosophy and identity. Very hard to beat. They never give in.”
Miami is expected to be without injured Nick Marsman, Kieran Gibbs and Aime Mabika. Robbie Robinson trained but remains in concussion protocol.
MORE MESSI RUMORS
Another month, another Messi to Miami rumor. And once again, Inter Miami officials and Lionel
Messi’s representatives are denying the report, saying it is premature conjecture.
A report from DIRECTV Sports Argentina correspondent Alex Candal saying that Messi “will acquire 35 percent of Inter Miami and join the team in Summer 2023” went viral on social media. Candal said “the contract is done and will be signed in August.”
But two high-ranking Inter Miami officials told the Herald that the report is not true and that there is no deal in the works. It is no secret that Inter Miami has had conversations with Messi for years about the next stage of his career and that he has a condo in Miami Beach, but officials said they don’t expect a deal anytime in the foreseeable future.
The rumor gained traction after Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham posted Instagram photos of himself Monday with Paris Saint Germain stars Messi, Neymar, Sergio Ramos and Kylian Mbappe.
Messi’s agents told Le Parisien the report “is completely false, Leo has not yet decided on his future. And if Leo Messi has crossed paths with David Beckham in the last few hours, it is only as part of PSG’s stay in Doha where the former English midfielder plays a role as an ambassador for the next World Cup in Qatar.”