Robinson has the look of a leader, could see big role
ST. PETERSBURG — If he hadn’t had them already, Inter Miami CF’s Robbie Robinson had two “welcome to the bigleague” moments on Saturday.
The first occurred on his score against the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the 21st minute of the club’s final preseason friendly.
Robinson slotted in the exhibition’s decisive goal in a 1-0 Inter Miami victory off an assist from midfielder Jay Chapman for his first score of the preseason.
What followed nearly an hour after his goal was a scuffle with a Rowdies defender that resulted in the two becoming tangled up with one another. While the officials eventually separated them, Robinson made it clear he wasn’t going to back down from anyone regardless of their or his standing in the league as a rookie.
“You need to keep that same intensity wherever you go,” Robinson said about the scuffle. “You can’t have anyone push you around. You have to show you’re meant to be here. You got to fight and do what you have to do.”
The No. 1 pick in the 2020 MLS SuperDraft is no stranger to proving himself on the field. He won the MAC Hermann Trophy in his final season with Clemson after recording 18 goals and 9 assists in 19 games in 2019.
But MLS is a different level. Success at the collegiate level doesn’t guarantee professional success. The extra time Robinson’s now able to spend on his craft that would’ve gone towards studying for an exam has helped accelerate the learning curve these past two months.
“It’s been a good transition,” Robinson said. “I had to go to school, but now I can just focus on soccer. It’s a lot better for me, but it’s still hard work. I’m learning so much from the team and from the coach.”
Robinson said the biggest adjustments he’s had to make since joining Inter Miami has been getting used to the speed of play and becoming better at moving off the ball.
“In college, I got the ball at my feet, I was able to turn and have space,” Robinson said. “At this level, people are on you quickly and when you turned with the ball, there’s going to be two, three people right on you so you have to learn how to play quickly and move off the ball really well. I still have a long way to go and I can improve so much more, but I’m looking forward to it.”
Robinson’s performance on Saturday may lead to him getting more playing time, and possibly starting, in the club’s first-ever match on March 1 against Los Angeles FC with the team’s forward contingent being hit by the injury bug.
Julian Carranza is sidelined until at least early April with a foot injury while forward Juan Agudelo sustained a right hamstring injury during Inter Miami’s friendly against the Philadelphia Union on Feb. 15, and his status wasn’t updated on Saturday.
“I’m not really thinking about that,” Robinson said. “We’re all a team, we’re a family and we fight for each other every time we get on the field. It’s not about who’s starting or who’s not starting. As long as we’re winning and doing well, that’s the most important thing.”
Inter Miami will wrap up training camp at their facility this week before starting their regular season against LAFC and making their home debut against the Los Angeles Galaxy on March 14.
Robinson got a taste of the kind of support the club will be receiving at Inter Miami CF Stadium in Fort Lauderdale from its supporter clubs during Saturday’s friendly with members from Southern Legion, The Siege and Vice City 1896 greeting Inter Miami players at their hotel with a drum-heavy celebration before the team started its match.
“I heard the fans were going to be really good this year, but I didn’t expect that,” Robinson said. “It’s crazy for us to have that support. As long as they keep supporting us, I think we can do great things here.”
Inter Miami CF’s Lewis Morgan gets by Rowdies’ Sebastian Guenzatti (13) during the first
St. Petersburg.
Final tuneup: Inter Miami CF downs Tampa Bay in last preseason friendly Jay Chapman at the 21st minute. With Saturday also provided the club’s supporter multiple defenders flanked around him inside groups an opportunity to fine-tune the penalty box, Robinson displayed their preparations for the regular season, patience and spatial awareness after receiving with members of Southern Legion, The Chapman’s pass with a cutback and Siege and Vice City 1896 greeting Inter Miami slotted finish in the goal’s bottom right corner players at their hotel before the team for his first score of the preseason. started its match at Al Lang Stadium. The
“It was a really good run by Jay,” Robinson groups’ chants and energy provided Inter said about the goal. “He made a really Miami with a homefield-like atmosphere. good run with the ball down the line. I saw “It’s incredible that [our supporters] traveled him and I thought he saw me. I went nearpost so many kilometers to support us in a and went back, took the touch, friendly, it’s wonderful,” Alonso said. chopped it and placed it with my left foot in “Imagine what our home opener is going to the bottom right [of the goal].” be like. We’re happy that the home opener
The cutback appears to be a move fans will be sold out. It was also great to have can expect to see a lot from Robinson as he shared today with so many supporters. We establishes himself in the league. felt at home today, we played away but felt “I use that a lot,” Robinson said. “It’s good.” like the home team because of our fans.” Even when not scoring and multiple The team will wrap up training camp at starters not playing with the team having its training facility this week before starting had a scrimmage against FC Dallas Saturday its regular season against LAFC. morning that was closed to the media “Just getting that chemistry,” Robinson and public, Inter Miami showcased the possession-controlling, said about what the team will focus on this attacking style of play week. “It’s a new team. We haven’t been that Alonso wants to implement. They playing a lot with each other, but I already dominated possession early on and consistently feel like we’re doing a really good job every kept the ball in the Rowdies side of single day improving and it’s just going to the field for significant portions of the first get better. I’m really excited to see what we half. can do this year.”
ST. PETERSBURG — Inter Miami CF’s friendly against the Tampa Bay Rowdies wasn’t about the result.
Sure, they wanted to get the win, and they delivered on that with a 1-0 victory over the USL Championship-side Rowdies on Saturday night.
But the club’s final preseason friendly/ scrimmage was about fine-tuning what needed to be adjusted and figuring out what it needed to improve on ahead of its final week of practice before its inaugural game against Los Angeles FC on March 1.
“My biggest takeaway is the growth of the team the whole preseason,” coach Diego Alonso said. “I think we’ve done a great job and we’re going to continue improving.”
Inter Miami walked away with plenty to be content with. Multiple reserves stepped up and showed reasons to be encouraged with defender Román Torres and midfielder Luis Argudo as the lone starters from the Feb. 15 friendly against Philadelphia Union to play on Saturday.
Forward Robbie Robinson, the No. 1 pick in the 2020 MLS SuperDraft, scored the game’s lone goal off an assist from midfielder