Without Lionel Messi, Inter Miami beats Orlando City 1-0 in a key duel to get closer to the playoff zone in the MLS

Resumen Orlando City vs Inter Miami

With the absences of Lionel Messi, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets, Inter Miami beats Orlando City 1-0 as a visitor, a difficult rival for the Garzas on their way to continue climbing positions and keep a place in the playoffs of the MLS.

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At 7 minutes into the second half, David Ruiz pushed a rebound into the net against goalkeeper Pedro Gallese after a cross shot by Josef Martínez to advance the team led by Gerardo Martino in the Florida derby, which takes place just three days away. of a new final for Inter, since next Wednesday they will play at home and in a single match against the Houston Dynamo for the US Open Cup title.

In a flat first half in terms of the game, with few offensive ideas on the part of both teams, the Herons came closer after 15 minutes with a pass by David Ruiz that did not pose too much danger. Orlando responded with an approach by Ecuadorian Iván Angulo, but Argentine defender Tomás Avilés blocked the shot.

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At 25 it was Leonardo Campana who disturbed the local goal with a shot that forced Pedro Gallese to clear it. The Peruvian goalkeeper showed off again in the 42nd minute by blocking a header from the Ecuadorian attacking center. While Duncan McGuire could also have scored if it had not been for the intervention of Drake Callender.

Duncan McGuire and Serhiy Kryvtsov compete for the ball in the MLS duel between Inter Miami and Orlando City (Cory Knowlton-USA TODAY Sports

Regarding the absences of the two world champions, who retired injured in their last appearance against Toronto, Gerardo Martino confirmed in the preview that they will not participate in the Orlando match and detailed to the media that The Flea is dealing with “ the issue of the old scar” while Alba has “muscle fatigue.” “Day by day we will evaluate them,” he clarified.

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“The scar is annoying, I don’t know if it hurts. The truth is that I have no idea, that is perhaps something much more medical for me to give an explanation… But I do know that it is likely that those scars bother and do not allow him, perhaps even mentally, to be free to play a game,” Tata argued about the physical condition of his captain

At the same time, he highlighted that Leo was the one who asked for the change, and that he knows when he should “stop” and how he has to dose his physical efforts: “It seems to me that his experience gives him the ability, even within a game and with high heart rate, to know when to stop, when to say enough, when to take precautions.”

So far, Inter Miami is thirteenth in the Eastern Conference with 31 points after 28 games, while DC United, which is ninth (the last place that gives access to the playoff), has 36 points after 30 games and this weekend they will host the New York Red Bulls (fourteenth in the same conference) in their field.

Opposite Martino’s team will be an Orlando City team led by Uruguayan Facundo Torres, who are second in the table, 12 points behind Cincinnati, the leader of their area. The team coached by Colombian Óscar Pareja is already qualified for the MLS playoff and has four wins, one draw and one loss in its last six games.

This new confrontation between both Florida franchises for the MLS comes a month and a half after they met in the round of 32 of the Leagues Cup. At that time, Inter Miami won 3-1 in a toughest match in which reflected the score and after which Pareja charged against the referee, ensuring that Messi should have been sent off.

Trainings:

Orlando City: Peter Gallese; Dagur Thorhallsson, Rodrigo Schlegel, Robin Jansson, Rafael Santos; Facundo Torres, Cesar Araujo, Maurice Pereyra, Wilder Cartagena, Ivan Angle; Duncan McGuire. DT: Oscar Couple.

Inter Miami: Drake Callender; DeAndre Yedlin, Tomás Avilés, Sergey Krivtsov, Noah Allen; Benjamín Cremaschi, Dixon Arroyo, David Ruiz, Robert Taylor, Josef Martínez and Leonardo Campana. DT: Gerardo Martino.

Referee: Armando Villarreal

Estadio: Exploria Stadium

TV: Apple TV

Hour:

17.30 Mexico City.

18.30 Peru, Colombia and Ecuador.

19.30 Bolivia and Venezuela, Paraguay, Chile and Miami (United States).

20.30 Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil.

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