Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Debut showed an emphasis on vets
LOS ANGELES — Inter Miami CF opted to deploy a more experienced starting 11 for their inaugural MLS match on Sunday.
Luis Robles, the team’s captain, received the start at goalkeeper against Los Angeles FC. Robles was the MLS Goalkeeper of the Year in 2015, and helped the New York Red Bulls to the Supporters’ Shield in 2013, 2015 and 2018.
Nico Figal, Alvas Powell, Ben Sweat and Roman Torres made up the team’s backfour. Figal spent the majority of his pro career with Club Atlético Independiente, making over 100 total appearances and helping the team to win the 2017 Copa Sudamericana and the 2018 Suruga Bank Championship titles. Powell is a seven-year MLS veteran who spent last season with FC Cincinnati and six seasons with the Portland Timbers, winning the MLS Cup in 2015.
Sweat spent the past three seasons with New York City FC after starting his MLS career with the Columbus Crew in 2014. Torres spent the past five seasons with Seattle Sounders FC, helping lead the club to three MLS Cups appearances and two victors in 2016 and 2019. He’s been the Panamanian National Team captain for the previous five years, and helped Panama qualify for their FIFA World Cup in 2018.
Wil Trapp and Victor Ulloa started as Inter Miami’s two defensive midfielders. Trapp was an MLS All-Star in 2016 and spent the previous seven seasons with with Columbus Crew SC before being traded to Inter Miami in January. Ulloa made 26 appearances with FC Cincinnati during the club’s inaugural MLS season last year after spending eight seasons with FC Dallas.
Lewis Morgan, Rodolfo Pizarro and Matias Pellegrini lined up as the three attacking midfielders while Robbie Robinson started at forward. Morgan appeared in 21 games for Celtic Football Club, including seven in the UEFA Champions League and eight in the UEFA Europa League, before signing with Inter Miami in January.
Pizarro and Pellegrini were the club’s two designated players. The Mexican native is a two-time CONCACAF Champions League winner, three-time Liga MX Champion and most recently the winner of the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup. He’s also scored five goals in 25 appearances for the senior Mexican national soccer team. Pellegrini joined Inter Miami via transfer from Estudiantes de La Plata, making his senior debut in 2018 and appearing in 23 matches for the first division side.
Robinson, who was selected with the first pick in the 2020 MLS SuperDraft, is the 2019 MAC Hermann Trophy winner. He finished his 2019 season with Clemson tied as the top scorer in NCAA Division I with 18 goals. He scored Inter Miami’s lone goal in their final preseason friendly against the Tampa Bay Rowdies on Feb. 22.
Midfielder Lee Nguyen, who was one of Inter Miami’s seven reserves on Sunday, returned to Los Angeles spending two years with LAFC. He scored 3 goals in 27 appearances with Los Angeles.
“It’ll be emotional for sure,” Nguyen said about opening the season against LAFC leading up to the matchup. “I was there for two seasons and built a great relationship with my teammates, with the staff, with the front office and with the fans. It was a big part of my career and I enjoyed my time there.”
LAFC played a video tribute for Nguyen inside of Banc of California Stadium before Sunday’s matchup with fans in attendance giving the McKinney, TX native a loud ovation.
With LAFC wearing black home jerseys on Sunday, Inter Miami debuted their home kits on the road.
The jersey features:
A white base, inspired by the wings of the great white heron
Pink accents on buttons and sleeves Embossed herons that are supposed to represent freedom and strength
The club mantra “Freedom to Dream” on the inside of the collar, which “reflects the team’s ambitious mindset as it aims to become the best soccer club in the Western hemisphere” according to a press release.