Higuain’s 1st MLS goal lifts Inter to victory
Inter Miami CF — who were without five key players — picked up a much-needed win in a 2-1 victory against the New York Red Bulls on Wednesday at Red Bull Arena thanks to Gonzalo Higuain scoring his first goal in Major League Soccer.
Higuain, who was named the team’s captain before the match, with goalkeeper Luis Robles out for the foreseeable future with a fractured left arm, had flirted with scoring his first goal with Inter Miami multiple times through his first three games with the club.
But when Inter Miami needed him most, the Argentine forward showed why he was one of the best strikers in Europe for nearly a decade and delivered the team’s first goal off a set piece.
Higuain was fouled by Jason Pendant outside of the Red Bulls’ box in the 80th minute. He then rocketed the ball into the top right corner of New York’s goal, with the ball bending around multiple RedBulls defenders and giving Inter Miami a 2-1 lead and the eventual win.
“We had waited a long time for
a player of his quality and he showed what we were expecting from him,” Inter Miami coach Diego Alonso said. “We were able to see great performances in his first two games but didn’t get the results. [Wednesday], we got a great performance and a great result.”
Inter Miami held the Red Bulls scoreless for the remainder of the game after Higuain’s goal to earn the three points.
They moved to 4-10-2 on the
season with 14 points, jumping to 12th place in the 14-team Eastern Conference standings.
They’re three points outside of a playoff spot, with Nashville (4-5-5, 17 points) currently in 10th place (the last playoff position in the conference), with sevengames left in the regular season.
Inter Miami were without five starters in Wednesday’s game: Robles, JuanAgudelo (injury), Leandro Gonzalez Pirez (yellow card accumulation) Rodolfo Pizarro (Mexico national team obligations) and Andres Reyes (injury).
As a result, center back ChristianMakoun and goalkeeper John McCarthy started their first matches with Inter Miami.
“It was a match that was emotionally difficult to play because we were down five starters.” Alonso said. “It was the moment for the backups to take advantage of the opportunity. They didwell.”
Higuain wasn’t the only player to score his first goal with Inter Miami againstNew York.
Matias Pellegrini netted Inter Miami’s first goal of the game in the 55th minute — just two minutes after Omir Fernandez scored the Red Bulls’ lone goal of the game.
With Higuain drawing the attention of two center backs in New York’s box, Lewis Morgan sent a cross to Pellegrini’s feet in front of the Red Bulls’ goal, with the Argentine midfielder sending the ball over David Jensen and into the net for his first goal in MLS.
“He had a great game and he deserved this,” Higuain said about
Pellegrini. “I hope this game helps him believe in himself more and understand he’s a great player.”
Inter Miami and New York were scoreless at halftime, with the Red Bulls in control of the action early on before Miami finished the half strong. BlaiseMatuidi took Inter Miami’s first shot of the game in the 34th minute.
Matuidi helped keep the game scoreless early on with a goal-saving clearance in the 18th minute.
Red Bulls forward Tom Barlow madea run behind ChristianMakoun, with McCarthy leaving his line in an effort to make a save. Barlowsent a header overMcCarthy towards Inter Miami’s goal, but the French midfielder tracked the ball down and kicked the ball away right before itwas going into Inter Miami’s goal.
McCarthy finished with three saves, with his one in the 24th minute being the most impressive. Wednesday was the first time Inter Miami held their opponent to one goal or fewer in a game for the first time in four matches.
Inter Miami will return to Inter Miami CF Stadium on Saturday to play the Houston Dynamo (3-5-7, 16 points).