Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Some issues answered in debut, but key ones remain
LOS ANGELES — There were times when MLS Commissioner Don Garber had doubts that Sunday would actually happen for Inter Miami CF.
He didn’t pinpoint the exact moments over the past six years in which he didn’t think a South Florida team would play Major League Soccer again, but admitted that those moments of doubt occurred more often than he could remember.
“That was a project that took a long time to get over the finish line,” Garber said. “It really speaks to the strength and the commitment of that ownership group. I’m proud of them.”
And Inter Miami made their owners, team personnel and fans proud by answering important questions in their MLS debut against Los Angeles FC.
Even in a 1-0 loss, they showed they belong on this stage against one of the best teams in the league.
Goalkeeper Luis Robles had a strong showing against an attack that was the best in MLS last season. Once their nerves settled, Inter Miami implemented their preferred playing style for strong stretches and came close to scoring their first goal multiple times. Forward Robbie Robinson had an
admirable showing in what was both his MLS and professional debut.
But even in what many would classify as a well-played debut, Inter Miami were faced with questions they couldn’t answer on Sunday.
“I’d feel a lot better if we had three points,” sporting director Paul McDonough said after the game. “It’s good to get it out of the way.
“We still have two more pieces we need to add to the team, so we’re going to focus on that.”
The club has made it clear they plan to fill their third and final designated player slot with a striker who can score “25-plus” goals in MLS. And Sunday’s match demonstrated why that’s imperative.
Although Robinson played well, the team’s lack of a reliable scorer was evident. There were multiple times throughout the match where Inter Miami wasn’t able to capitalize on potential scoring opportunities.
Robinson, the No. 1 selection in the 2020 MLS SuperDraft, has the potential to become a solid scoring option during his rookie year and possibly better in years to come. But for a team that says it wants to compete with the best from the outset, finding a proven goal-scorer is a necessity.
As Inter Miami played in LAFC’s Banc of California Stadium, the question of when — and if — the expansion club’s lease agreement for its own stateof-the-art Miami stadium will be approved.
“This is a Miami team playing temporary in Fort Lauderdale,” Garber said. “For those who haven’t seen where they’re playing, the training environment is state of the art [and] absolutely awe-inspiring. They need to move out of there, get their academy programs and USL teams playing down there and they need to get downtown.”
Inter Miami owner Jorge Mas told reporters on Wednesday that he’s confident the club’s proposed lease for what it hopes to make its long-term home at Miami Freedom Park will get a “green light” in the next 60 to 90 days. But he acknowledged that the team may have to continue to play in Fort Lauderdale for at least three years instead of the originally anticipated two if an agreement isn’t made soon.
“Their temporary stadium will be terrific, and we hope to get the big stadium in downtown Miami over the finish line,” Garber said. “They’re going to play [in Fort Lauderdale] as long as they have to, but they are not going to stay in Fort Lauderdale. There will come a time where we’re going to have to push the envelope and get that deal finalized. We’ve been doing it for 10 years.
“This is a gateway city to the southern part of the world, and it’s why we’re so focused and so committed to seeing this complicated deal all the way through.”
Garber added that Inter Miami won’t be looking for another Miami location if they can’t make their way to what’s currently Melreese golf course.
“There is one place that team is going to be playing its game,” Garber said. “That’s when we get the downtown stadium over the finish line.”