Higuaín brothers make history in season’s 1st win
Each score a late goal to lift Inter Miami
For a while against the Philadelphia Union on Saturday, it looked like Inter Miami CF were going to have to wait another week to get their first points of the season.
But the Higuaín brothers made sure that wasn’t going to be the case, with each scoring a late goal to vault Inter Miami past the Union for a 2-1 win at Subaru Park in Chester, Pa., for the team’s first points of the season.
“Speaking from experience having played with my brother [Gary Neville] for a long time — there is a special bond when you’re on the same team,” Inter Miami coach Phil Neville said after the win against the reigning Supporters’ Shield winners. “It’s a special moment for them both. It’s a great moment for their family.”
With Inter Miami down 1-0 through 73 minutes, Federico Higuaín sent a cross off a free kick into Philadelphia’s box and connected with his younger brother, Gonzalo, for a header into the back of the net to tie the game 1-1.
Less than 10 minutes later, Federico scored off a Nico Figal assist in what was ultimately the game-deciding goal to give Inter Miami (1-1-0, three points) their first win under coach Neville.
The goals by Federico, 36, and Gonzalo, 33, marked the first time in MLS history that a pair of brothers have scored in the same game.
“It’s great not only because he’s my brother. When I speak about Gonzalo, I speak about the football player,” Federico said. “In the facility, he is not anymore my brother — he’s my teammate. It’s a pleasure to play next to him, next to Blaise Matuidi, next to many guys on this roster.”
Federico’s score was his first goal since July 2020 when he played for D.C. United, with his assist on Saturday being his first since the 2019 season when he played for the Columbus Crew.
“He deserves to be talked about in his own right,” Neville said of Federico. “He brings a calmness to training, a calmness to Gonzalo and a calmness to the whole team. When everyone else is running around at 100 mph, he just seems to give the team confidence and composure.”
Gonzalo’s goal was his second of the season, with the younger Higuaín already surpassing his scoring output from 2020 through the team’s first two matches this season after scoring one goal with Inter Miami in nine games last year.
When asked what he enjoyed more between netting the game-winning goal or providing his brother with the assist on his score, Federico replied: “As a No. 10, I always like to provide my forwards and wingers. In this case, Gonzalo tied the game. It was very important for us because it gave us a lot of confidence to keep battling and pushing.”
Jamiro Monteiro scored the Union’s lone goal after Kacper Przybylko sent a slow-rolling cross on the ground into Inter Miami’s box, with Monteiro smacking the ball behind John McCarthy in the 53rd minute after Inter Miami’s defenders didn’t provide clearance.
Philadelphia dominated the early parts of the match and continued to after scoring its goal in the second half, but Inter Miami’s second-half substitutions provided the team with a muchneeded jolt of energy.
Inter Miami’s starting 11 against the Union were the same as in last week’s home opener: McCarthy; Kelvin Leerdam, Figal, Leandro Gonzalez Pirez; Joevin Jones; Gregore; Matuidi; Lewis Morgan; Rodolfo Pizarro; Robbie Robinson; Gonzalo Higuaín.
After getting fatigued late in last week’s match, Inter Miami used all five of their allowed substitutions: Jay Chapman for Robinson at halftime; Federico Higuaín for Pizarro in the 62nd minute; Sami Guediri for Jones in the 69th minute; Victor Ulloa and Ryan Shawcross for Leerdam and Matuidi in the 79th minute.
“Substitutions were better this week,” Neville said. “We made substitutions earlier and got fresher [legs] on the pitch — that helps.”
Neither team was particularly threatening offensively in the first half of Saturday’s game.
Inter Miami had the best scoring chance of the first half when Robinson stole the ball on the Union’s side of the field 19 minutes into the match, cut to the inside of his defender and fired a shot toward Philadelphia’s goal that bounced off the crossbar.
Robinson left the game midway through the match after sustaining an injury right before halftime, with Neville saying he took Robinson out as a “precaution” due to tightness in his hamstring.
“We hope,” Neville said, “it’s not too bad.”
Inter Miami will have another opportunity to build off their first win of the season next on May 2 on the road against Nashville SC at Nissan Stadium.
“This is only the start of the journey for us,” Neville said. “We know we’ve got miles more to give. I believe there’s another 20-30 percent to come from us.”