How “world-class” Gonzalo Higuain saved Inter Miami’s 2022 playoff hopes

Higuain, whose goals came in the 25th and 82nd minutes to negate Cucho Hernandez’s 41st-minute equalizer, said there are no hard feelings toward the Crew captain. But at the same time, “you should be careful what you say before a game because it can come back to haunt you.”

Most pressingly, Miami’s victory snapped a three-game losing streak and brought them two points below the Eastern Conference’s Audi 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs line – and Columbus (seventh place) – with four games to go. Now in eighth place, Neville believes momentum is back heading into Sunday’s clash at bottom-of-the-league D.C. United (5 pm ET | MLS LIVE on ESPN+).

“There’s no holding back now, there’s no resting anyone,” said Neville. “We’ve got four cup finals to go and I firmly believe it’s in our own hands. Sunday we move on again. We’ve got to produce another big, big performance before the international break.”

Higuain, with his brace against Columbus, equaled his MLS season-high goals mark (12) from a year ago. The Designated Player has found a strong level lately, a development Neville believes comes down to a midseason trade acquisition from Toronto FC.

“He’s taken us, he’s leading the team, he’s inspiring everyone in that dressing room,” Neville said. “I’d say that over the last two and a half years that he’s been at this football cub, he’s probably at times not done that. But I think what he’s found … he’s found a player in [Alejandro] Pozuelo that’s on the same wavelength as him. And he’s found a dressing room that adores him, looks up to him, respects him, but also needs him for these big moments.

“And in the rain delay, he was the one that was driving everyone on. And he doesn’t need the armband. It’s his body language, it’s his behaviors that I think we’ve seen over the last three, four, five months has been world-class.”