MIAMI (October 18, 2023) – Inter Miami CF (9W-17L-7D, 34 points) earned a 2-2 draw against Charlotte FC to claim a point in the team’s final 2023 MLS regular season home game. in the final home match of the 2023 MLS season. Midfielder Gregore earned Heineken Star of the Match honors tonight in his first appearance after recovering from a long-term injury.
“The team had the right attitude for this match… We can’t neglect the game we played tonight nor the one on Saturday, but we are already thinking about next season. It’s important we reach the start of the league (MLS) in the best form,” said head coach Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino.
Drake Callender started in goal; DeAndre Yedlin, Tomás Avilés, Kamal Miller and Noah Allen lined up in defense; captain Gregore, Sergio Busquets and Diego Gómz started in midfield; Nicolás Stefanelli and Facundo Farías started on the wings alongside striker Leonardo Campana.
The start marked the long-awaited return of midfielder Gregore, who suffered a long-term injury in March but recently signed a contract extension; the Brazilian donned the captain’s armband again in his first appearance since the injury.
The hosts were on the front foot from the start of the match, finding opportunities in transition but being denied in the final third. Chances came to the feet of Campana and Allen in the first half, but Charlotte opened the scoring in the 45th minute; Kerwin Vargas sent a cross into Enzo Copetti, whose glancing header found the back of the net for the opening goal.
But deep into first-half stoppage time, Inter Miami got one back; Avilés swung in a cross from the right wing across goal that found Stefanelli at the far post, who tucked it into the back of the net to equalize just before halftime. The goal was Stefanelli’s fourth of the season across all competitions.
Charlotte then reclaimed its lead early in the second half. In the 52nd minute, Kamil Józwiak hit a cross to Vargas at the far post, where he struck to make it 1-2.
Inter Miami, however, was able to find the equalizer in the final minutes to prevent the visitors from claiming the win. In the 84th minute, Miller recovered the ball close to the midfield line and hit a long switch to find Yedlin on the right side of the pitch, where the right back laid a ball back for Campana outside the box. The Ecuadorian striker then sent a cross into the box to find Robinson’s well-timed run and the attacker sent the ball to the back of the net with a right-footed finish to tie the match. The goal was Robinson’s first this season, while the assist was Campana’s fourth across all competitions in 2023.
The 2-2 scoreline then remained unmoved throughout the remaining minutes and Inter Miami claimed a point in its final 2023 regular season fixture at DRV PNK Stadium.
Inter Miami will now head to Charlotte to face the North Carolina-based team for the second time this week in its final match of the 2023 regular season.
Scoring Summary:
MIA – Nicolás Stefanelli 45’ +6’, Robbie Robinson (Leonardo Campana, DeAndre Yedlin) 84’
CLT – Enzo Copetti (Kerwin Vargas, Kamil Józwiak) 45’, Kerwin Vargas (Kamil Józwiak, Brecht Dejaegere 52’)
Misconduct Summary:
MIA – Sergio Busquets (Yellow Card 21’), Gregore (Yellow Card 49’), Tomás Avilés (Yellow Card 76’)
CLT – Brandt Bronico (Yellow Card 69’)
Lineups / Substitutions:
Inter Miami CF – GK Drake Callender; D DeAndre Yedlin, Tomás Avilés, Kamal Miller, Noah Allen (Jordi Alba 60’); M Gregore © (Jean Mota 60’), Sergio Busquets, Diego Gómez (David Ruiz 90’); F Facundo Farías, Nicolás Stefanelli (Robbie Robinson 73’); Leonardo Campana
Unused Substitutes – GK CJ dos Santos; D Chris McVey, Ryan Sailor; M Dixon Arroyo, Victor Ulloa
Charlotte FC – GK Kristijan Kahlina; D Jaylin Lindsey, Adilson Malanda, Andrew Privett, Nathan Byrne; M Ashley Westwood ©, Brandt Bronico; Kamil Józwiak (Scott Arfield 76’), Brecht Dejaegere (Karol Swiderski 64’), Kerwin Vargas (Justin Meram 64’); F Enzo Copetti
Unused Substitutes – GK George Marks; D Harrison Afful, Guzmán Corujo, Jan Sobocinski; F Patrick Agyemang, McKinze Gaines
Details of the Game:
Date: October 18, 2023
Time: 8 p.m. ET
Stadium: DRV PNK Stadium
Attendance: 19,615
Stats:
Possession:
MIA – 57%
CLT – 43%
Shots:
MIA – 16
CLT – 10
Saves:
MIA – 4
CLT – 5
Corners:
MIA – 4
CLT – 4
Fouls:
MIA – 12
CLT – 11
###
