Inter Miami’s game at home to the Columbus Crew on Saturday night is their last before their Club World Cup participation begins. Going into it, they have familiar reasons to be optimistic, but also all-too-familiar problems in defence.
By James Nalton
The leak hasn’t been fixed
Inter Miami have now shipped 15 goals in their last five games, and their 26 goals conceded in total is the sixth-most in the 15-team Eastern Conference.
They did, however, round off that run of five games with a 4-2 win against the side at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, CF Montréal, in midweek.
Beyond the goals they eventually scored, Montréal had more good chances in key moments earlier in the game but couldn’t take them, and Inter Miami went on to take a 3-0 lead in the second half.
Going into that game, Montréal had scored the fewest goals in the conference, so the number of chances they created was still a worry for Javier Mascherano’s side.
On top of the worries about their defensive setup, there are personnel problems in those deeper areas too, with injuries to Jordi Alba, Tomás Avilés, Yannick Bright, and Gonzalo Luján ruling them out for the Columbus game in addition to others not expected to feature, including David Ruiz, Baltasar Rodríguez, and Drake Callender.
Suárez and Messi back in tandem
Lionel Messi scored the opening goal against Montréal, fired into the bottom corner from outside the area, and from then on it was the Messi and Luis Suárez show.
Messi set up Suárez for Miami’s second and it was the Uruguayan who made it 3-0.
Suárez then set up Messi for his second and the team’s fourth goal, as the pair performed a 1-2 before Messi executed one of his trademark chipped finishes over an onrushing goalkeeper.
The issue for Miami has never really been about these attacking players, but more about what they can do with the team setup behind them.
Though the defence remains shaky, on this occasion, the two star forwards bailed them out.
Against the Columbus Crew, they’ll be hoping for something similar in attack, but something much different in defence.
The Crew
Columbus have not been their usual selves lately. Wilfried Nancy’s team is on a run of five games without a win, which includes one defeat among four draws.
The Crew went on a similar run last year which lasted seven games, so Inter Miami will hope they have caught them at the right time, especially having beaten them once already this season.
They have also not kept a clean sheet since March (11 games ago), while Miami’s last shutout came in that game against the Crew in April.
The familiar traits are still there with Columbus, and they top the league for average possession, passes per game, and total touches in the box, but lately, this has not led to wins.
Prediction
The last five Inter Miami games have seen 26 goals scored in total, so the one thing you can usually predict with certainty in this unpredictable league is goals in Inter Miami games. Their absences and the Crew’s inability to keep clean sheets could lead to another high-scoring draw.
(Cover Image from IMAGO)
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