MIAMI (March 10, 2024) – Inter Miami CF (2W-1L-1D, 7 points) narrowly fell 2-3 this afternoon against CF Montréal at Chase Stadium. Forward Leonardo Campana and left back Jordi Alba scored the team’s goals in the match to register their first goals of the season.
“I liked the performance of the team but I regret the dropped points. It was a match that just developed in a way that led to that result, but I felt we did enough to win the match,” said head coach Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino.
Inter Miami made several changes to its starting XI for the team’s third match of the week and kicked off with Drake Callender in goal; David Ruiz, Tomás Avilés, Sergii Kryvtsov, Noah Allen and Alba made a backline of five; Julian Gressel, Federico Redondo and Lawson Sunderland started in midfield; Campana and Robert Taylor led the team’s attack.
Notably, midfielder Redondo made his MLS debut for Inter Miami as part of the starting XI. Ruiz, Sunderland and Campana, meanwhile, registered their first starts of the season.
The visitors took the lead early on in the match, with Montréal finding the opener in the 13th minute through a goal from defender Fernando Álvarez.
Inter Miami then searched for the equalizer throughout the remainder of the first 45 minutes, with the team’s most dangerous opportunity in the half coming through an attempt from Taylor in the 41st minute. After combining with Redondo in midfield, Gressel found Taylor in the center of the box with a perfectly timed through ball, with the winger’s subsequent finish over the keeper bouncing off the bar and out of play.
The second half then saw the hosts find the equalizer in the 71st minute; a cross from Sunderland found Campana at the far post, where the striker headed the ball into the back of the net to tie the match at 1-1. The goal was Campana’s first this season, while the assist was the first for Sunderland this season and in his MLS career.
Minutes later Montréal would score back to back goals in the 75th and 78th minutes to take a 1-3 lead.
Inter Miami would then put an end to the nine minute scoring spree to cut into the visitor’s lead in the 80th minute. Following a scramble after a cross, the ball went Busquets’ way just outside the box on the right side of the pitch, where he flicked the ball over for Alba at the top of the box. The left back then unleashed first-time left footed curler to beat the keeper and score his first of the season. The assist, meanwhile, was the first for Busquets this regular season and his overall second this year.
The 2-3 scoreline then remained unmoved throughout the final minutes and Inter Miami narrowly fell at home to Montréal.
Inter Miami will now host Nashville SC this upcoming Wednesday, March 13 at Chase Stadium at 8:15 p.m. ET for the second leg of the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16 series. Tickets for the match are available HERE.
Scoring Summary:
MIA – Leonardo Campana (Lawson Sunderland) 71’, Jordi Alba (Sergio Busquets) 80’
MTL – Fernando Álvarez (Ariel Lassiter) 13’, Matías Cóccaro (Mathieu Choinière) 75’, Sunusi Ibrahim (Josef Martínez) 78’
Misconduct Summary:
MIA – Federico Redondo (Yellow Card 18’), Tomás Avilés (Yellow Card 49’), Sergii Kryvtsov (Yellow Card 57’), Leonardo Campana (Yellow Card 86’), Noah Allen (Yellow Card 90’ +3’)
MTL – Jules-Anthony Vilsaint (Yellow Card 63’), Raheem Edwards (Yellow Card 90’ +3’)
Lineups / Substitutions:
Inter Miami CF – GK Drake Callender; D David Ruiz, Sergii Kryvtsov, Tomás Avilés (Nicolás Freire 66’), Noah Allen, Jordi Alba; M Julian Gressel (Diego Gómez 66’), Federico Redondo (Sergio Busquets 66’), Lawson Sunderland (Luis Suárez 77’); F Leonardo Campana, Robert Taylor (Shanyder Borgelin 84’)
Unused Substitutes – GK CJ dos Santos; D Israel Boatwright, Ryan Sailor
CF Montréal – GK Jonathan Sirois; D Ruan, Gabriele Corbo, Joel Waterman, Fernando Álvarez, Ariel Lassiter; M Samuel Piette, Mathieu Choinière, Bryce Duke; F Jules-Anthony Vilsaint, Matías Cóccaro
Unused Substitutes – GK Sebastian Breza ; D Raheem Edwards, Joaquín Sosa; M Dominic Iankov, Ousman Jabang, Victor Wanyama, Rida Zouhir; F Sunusi Ibrahim, Josef Martínez
Details of the Game:
Date: March 10, 2024
Time: 5 p.m. ET
Stadium: Chase Stadium
Attendance: 21,212
Stats:
Possession:
MIA – 58.4%
MTL – 41.6%
Shots:
MIA – 15
MTL – 12
Saves:
MIA – 1
MTL – 2
Corners:
MIA – 15
MTL – 12
Fouls:
MIA – 15
MTL – 9
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