Morgan’s goal lifts Inter Miami to 1-0 victory
A heavy downpour and 47-minute lightning delay dampened the first half of Inter Miami’s home game against the Houston Dynamo Saturday; but then a bright double rainbow appeared over the stadium.
It was an omen of a double dose of good news for a team that has been unlucky through much of its inaugural season.
Inter Miami beat Houston 1-0, the first time all season it has won back-toback games. Also, the team announced before the game that it had acquired Gonzalo Higuain’s older brother, midfielder Federico, in a trade with D.C. United.
Midfielder Lewis Morgan, the young Scotsman who has become one of the team’s most valuable players, scored the lone goal of the game on a calmlyplaced penalty kick in the 56th minute after Leandro Gonzalez Pires was taken down in the box on a corner kick.
It was Morgan’s fifth goal of the season, to go along with five assists – both team highs. The 24year-old winger also takes all of Miami’s corner kicks.
Miami, missing four key starters, dominated most of the game on both ends of the field. Goalkeeper John McCarthy, starting his second game in place of injured captain Luis Robles, put in a good performance. Robles, who had surgery Thursday to repair a fractured left forearm, watched from the stands with his family.
The back line of Nico Figal, Dylan Nealis, AJ De la Garza and Gonzalez Pirez played tough defense all night while Higuain and Blaise Matuidi helped create scoring chances. Brek Shea, Matias Pellegrini and Wil Trapp also started.
Inter Miami improved to 5-10-2 with six games remaining in the regular season. As of Saturday, they were in 12th place in the Eastern Conference, two spots shy of a playoff spot.
Miami entered the game energized after a 2-1 road win over the New York Red Bulls, a victory punctuated by a spectacular bending free kick from Argentine forward Higuain, who had a few good scoring chances on Saturday against the Dynamo.
Higuain has made the team better since his arrival, and his brother is about to join him.
Inter Miami announced before the game that it got Federico from D.C. United. In exchange, Inter Miami will send $50,000 in 2021 General Allocation Money.
“Federico has been a great player in this league,” said Paul McDonough, Inter Miami chief operating officer and sporting director. “We were thrilled to add more attacking depth, experience and playmaking ability to our roster when this opportunity presented itself.”
The elder Higuain, 35, has scored 60 goals and had 68 assists in 217 MLS appearances since in 2012.
His field vision, passing skills and experience will help fill the void left by the absence of playmaker Rodolfo Pizarro, who is in the
Netherlands with the Mexican national team for two friendlies and is expected to miss five Inter Miami games.
Federico Higuain likely would have to miss Wednesday’s home game against Atlanta United as he complies with MLS COVID-19 quarantine rules, but he might be available for the Oct. 17 road game at Montreal.
He was one of the league’s top midfielders with the Columbus Crew SC for eight seasons after joining in July 2012. Higuaín was named the MLS Newcomer of the Year in 2012, led the Crew SC to the MLS Cup Final in 2015, and became only the 19th player in MLS history to register at least 50 goals and 50 assists. Overall, Higuaín registered 55 goals and 63 assists in 193 regular season appearances with Columbus, in addition to four goals and five assists in 14 playoff matches.
The Higuains will become the 18th pair brothers to play together in MLS.
Inter Miami is back home Wednesday night against Atlanta United.
A lightning delay couldn’t prevent Lewis Morgan from potting the game’s lone goal. Team acquires Gonzalo Higuain’s brother, midfielder Federico from D.C. United.