FORT LAUDERDALE – The Leagues Cup is now synonymous with Lionel Messi’s goals, so the main difference in the victory that put Inter Miami in the semifinals was their defense against Charlotte FC.
In a match where Miami won 4-0, a scoreline that falls short considering their dominance on the field and the missed goal-scoring opportunities, their goal remained untouched, without conceding any goals.
“We know we can score goals, that our attack with Lionel will eventually find the net,” said Inter Miami coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino. “But we also knew we had to improve in defense, and that’s what happened. After conceding four goals on Sunday, tonight they (Charlotte) only had one clear chance.”
Indeed, Inter’s dominance was evident on both ends of the field. “We were very focused on keeping our goal clean,” agreed Inter Miami’s Robert Taylor.
“We know we can score goals and create many chances, that’s why it’s important to improve defensively.”
Possession of the ball was 62% to 38% in favor of the home team, and even though they may have let the opponent have more of the ball towards the end with the scoreline settled, the pass count was 701 to 416, and shots on goal were 7-2, according to ESPN Stats and Info.
“We had a great start with a two-goal lead,” said Inter midfielder Sergio Busquets in reference to their 2-0 advantage by the 32nd minute. “We relaxed a bit after being in front. The game became back and forth, but we came back strong in the second half and extended the lead.”
It’s true that Leo’s show and Messi-mania both on and off the field are remarkable. He delivers passes that even his teammates sometimes struggle to take advantage of, causes nervousness and pressure to the opposition in all areas of the field he passes through, with or without the ball, and he makes his teammates better.
“We’ve played together for a long time,” mentioned Busquets. “But it’s beautiful to play together again. We understand each other very well on the field.”
It’s also true that if it weren’t for Messi’s arrival and his performances in the five games he has played with Inter, where he has already scored eight goals, Busquets would probably be the standout figure for Inter and the Major League Soccer in terms of reinforcements this year. Sergio defends, takes possession, and organizes from the back, with almost every ball going through him.
“Busquets brings a lot of quality to the midfield and builds up the play from the back,” considered Taylor. “His calmness is incredible. I’ve never seen anyone so composed with the ball in high-pressure situations.”
Inter Miami is two victories away from winning the Leagues Cup after the arrivals of Messi and Busquets. However, they will have to visit the Philadelphia Union, the current champions of the Eastern Conference and recent MLS Cup finalists, to achieve that.
The Union defeated Querétaro from Liga MX 2-1 and will host Messi’s Inter at Subaru Park on Tuesday at 7:00 PM ET.
The other semifinal will be contested between Monterrey from Mexico and Nashville FC from the MLS.
“This tournament started with 47 teams,” said Martino. “And Miami, who were last in their group, is now in the semifinals. That speaks volumes about the moment we’re in, with at least some expectations of achieving something significant. Hopefully, we can win it. Philadelphia will want the same thing.”
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