To the casual observer, Inter Miami coach Phil Neville would have reason to be discouraged about his team after Friday night’s 2-1 home loss to Orlando City.
It was Miami’s fourth consecutive loss and fifth in the past six games. The team has scored only one goal in the past four games and is winless through five home games with four losses and a tie. Miami (2-6-2) has just two wins through 10 games and is in 11th place in the 14-team Eastern Conference.
And in what has become a chronic problem, the team gave up the lead within minutes of taking it.
But Neville saw plenty that gave him hope that better days are ahead heading into a road game against CF Montreal next Saturday.
From the opening whistle, Inter Miami played with moxie, with purpose and intensity that had been lacking in previous games. Miami players connected passes with more precision, moved well as a unit and attacked Orlando’s back line in waves.
Gonzalo Higuain, who missed the D.C. game last weekend for lack of fitness, came off the bench in the 60th minute and scored three minutes later to end Miami’s 358-minute scoring drought. Rodolfo Pizarro, who had not played in four weeks, also got in the game in the second half. It was the first time the team had all three Designated Players in the game together since May 16.
Blaise Matuidi, the third DP, played his best game since joining the club last summer.
Despite giving up two late goals (the winner a nearly unstoppable blistering shot by Nani), Miami played cohesive defense. The team was tougher to break down than in games earlier this season. Center backs Nico Figal and Leandro Gonzalez Pirez did an admirable job containing dangerous Daryl Dike, who had scored two goals on Tuesday against San Jose. He had only 14 touches, no shots and was subbed out in the 64th minute.
Neville said the team’s attitude, discipline and intensity are encouraging.
“You pick players that were willing to run, players that have the right attitude, players that really bought into the game plan, players with energy, players that were hungry, players that would sprint forward and sprint back,” Neville said.
“That is the level now that we’ve got to accept. If we fall below it, the players that don’t sprint will be out of the team. The players are enjoying that. I think there is a level of performance, a level of attitude now that is non-negotiable. When we have that kind of attitude and total commitment, you get the performance like we did [Friday].”
Matuidi said the team needs to focus on details to avoid giving up late goals.
“There are moments in the game where you feel like you are in control, and I think we have to be more concentrated at this moment, concentrated on the details,” he said. “We did not concede too much [Friday] and on the couple balls they have, they scored. We have to be more focused, all the team.”
Orlando City rallied with a pair of goals seven minutes apart to win 2-1. Portuguese forward Nani delivered a perfect cross for the first goal by Chris Mueller and fired a shot from the edge of the 18-yard box to the far corner for the winner in the 80th minute. Nani finished with five shots, three on target.
“We were beaten probably by one player, I player I know well,” Neville said of Nani, who played at Manchester United. “Two moments of absolute magic from Nani in a game where I thought we were absolutely outstanding. I feel really angry but really proud of the team. When you talk about what you want to see from a team, that’s exactly what I saw. So, I am absolutely convinced if we keep that attitude, we keep that level of performance, that we are headed in the right direction and we will get our just rewards.”
Miami is on the road Saturday night to face CF Montreal at Red Bull Arena in New Jersey. Montreal has been training and playing its home games at Inter Miami’s Fort Lauderdale facilities this season due to COVID border restrictions, but the game was moved because DRV PNK Stadium is hosting Gold Cup matches.