INTER MIAMI
“That was 100 percent a penalty,” said Inter Miami coach Phil Neville. “Poor refereeing. I think that’s fair. I praised the referee last week. That was 100 percent a penalty. I’ve seen it four times. It got reviewed, so whoever reviewed it has let the referee down. We’ll put that in the report.”
Asked about Neville’s opinion on the call, Guzan told reporters: “Yeah, he said the same thing to me as we walked off the field. For me, it’s not a penalty. I disagree with him.”
Miami trailed much of the afternoon before Scottish winger Lewis Morgan scored the equalizer in the 76th minute on a solo left-footed effort after cutting in from the right side. It was the first goal of the season for the 2020 team MVP. The limitedcapacity sellout crowd of 8,074 erupted as did team co-owners Jorge Mas and David Beckham, and singer Marc Anthony.
Coaches had challenged Morgan to score more goals.
“Lewis was MVP last year; with that comes more expectations, more pressure,” Neville said. “In the last couple games, he has gotten back up to those levels and beyond. We know he can assist from either flank and set plays, but we’ve really challenged him on scoring goals, becoming a matchwinner. I think that’s the next step for Lewis Morgan.”
Morgan appeared to be getting fatigued late in the second half, but Neville kept him in.
“After the drinks break he said he was cramping up, but I didn’t want to take him off because I knew you need to keep your match winners, your players on the pitch that can produce moments of brilliance, and he did that.”
Morgan said of the goal: “Everyone is a little bit tired in that weather, but I wasn’t dead on my feet, so it’s just about persevering, believing a chance is going to fall to you, and I was able to make it for myself and take it.”
Higuain, the Argentine forward, was back in the lineup after missing the Nashville game following the death of his mother. He had two golden opportunities to score, finding himself 1-on-1 with Guzan, but was unable to finish. Guzan saved his first shot, and his second sailed over the crossbar. Leandro Gonzalez Pirez had three shots on headers, but none found the back of the net.
Miami was missing starters Nico Figal and Robbie Robinson, both out with hamstring injuries. Kelvin Leerdam was also unavailable with a minor injury and Julian Carranza continues to battle vertigo.
Ulloa dropped from midfield to right back to replace Figal. Three minutes into the game, Miami lost another key player when midfielder Blaise Matuidi, wearing the captain’s armband, went down in a collision with Atlanta’s Santiago Sosa. He tried to carry on, but was clearly impaired, and left the field for good 10 minutes later. He was headed to the hospital for tests, according to Neville.
Atlanta struck first in the ninth minute with a left-footed shot by Josef Martinez, the 2018 MLS MVP who missed all last season after ACL surgery and was starting for the first time this season.
Martinez collected a pass from Emerson Hyndman, Miami defender Ryan Shawcross did not close him down quickly enough, and Martinez spun and struck the ball into the bottom left corner. It was his first goal since Feb. 25, 2020 and he celebrated by sprinting to the bench and hugging trainer Mario Cruz.
“I thought first half they were the better team,” Neville said. “We played too cautiously in terms of our press. Second half I saw a team that was prepared to do anything to get back in the game, win the game and certainly not lose it. So, I’m happy at the end of the game, but not happy — raging — because I thought we should have had a penalty.”
Federico Higuain, Gonzalo’s older brother, came off the bench in the 57th minute and made an immediate impact for Inter Miami. He has been outstanding as a substitute in the three games he’s played this season.
He has played so well that Neville considered starting the 36-year-old midfielder. Neville said Higuain told him on Friday that he has not played 90 minutes in a long time following ACL surgery in June 2019. The Columbus Crew did not renew his contract that winter, and he played sparingly for D.C. United in 2020 before being traded to Inter Miami in October after Gonzalo joined the team.
“Against the [LA] Galaxy he was fantastic, Philadelphia he won us the game, [Sunday] he came on and gave us that calmness and composure,” Neville said of the elder Higuain. “I was going backwards and forwards whether to start him or bring him on.
“I think in this moment in time, the influence and impact he’s having in the last 40, 35 minutes, when the game becomes stretched and the opposition becomes more fatigued, that’s where he’s got so much intelligence. He picks up the rhythm and speed of the game so quickly. He’s been sensational.”
Miami (1-1-2) plays at home again Wednesday night against Montreal.