Inter Miami’s winning streak ends

Red Bull New York 2 – 0 Inter Miami

HARRISON, NJ–Inter Miami’s three-match winning streak came to an end on Saturday, as they were beaten by a Red Bull New York side still battling to make the play-offs.

And it was the home side that showed that hunger early on as they attacked at every opportunity. Zakrzewski should have opened the scoring inside two minutes when a cross from Cade Cowell found him, but his flicked attempt just went wide.

But that was just the start. They clearly had one intent and that was to use their pace up front to unlock the Miami defence and do as much damage as possible. And it took them just six minutes to inflict that damage. A quick break saw another cross from Cowell, and as Jorge Ruvalcaba and Julian Zakrzewski tried to get on the end of it, Casemiro got the last touch as he put the ball into his own net for an unfortunate own goal.

New York were having success down Miami’s left hand side, and they opened them up a number of times throughout the first half. Cowell was at it again when he flew down the flank, and after dancing his way around the outstretched Dayne St. Clair, he chipped the ball into the danger area where Zakrzewski should have doubled the lead but somehow missed an open goal.

Miami were chasing shadows at times as they were being given the run around by a very hard working side. They opened them up yet again down the left and Ruvalcaba should have scored with a great chance, but the chance went begging and Miami rode their luck.

In the absence of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez captained the side and led the attack alongside German Berterame and Riquelme Fillipi,who was making his first start in a Miami shirt, but the three never got the service they needed, and the Herons struggled without their captain.

They pushed for an equaliser after the break, but it took coach Gonzalez little more than ten minutes to make the change everyone was expecting as Messi entered the fray.It intensified Miami’s attack and it forced the home side on to the back foot as the Herons spent much of the second half pressing in New York’s half.

The best chance fell for substitute Santiago Morales who saw his effort from the right side of the box saved by Ethan Horvath. Then Telasco Segovia followed up with a powerful right-footed strike that smashed off the crossbar.

And as Miami’s chase for the equaliser intensified, New York ended it in the first minute of stoppage time with their second goal. A poor clearance from St. Clair eventually found its way to Cameron Harper, and with the Miami defence in disarray and the keeper committed, he was able to play in Emil Forsberg for a simple tap in and seal the win.

The Herons were disappointing in an attacking sense, although they have suffered a number of injuries this season that have affected the front line, but they clearly rely on Messi to make the difference. They will look to regroup and turn it around next time out when they take on FC Cincinnati.