Inter Miami pull off another shorthanded win vs. Crew: “The young ones are showing up”

Much like their miraculous 2-1 win at Philadelphia with nine men over the weekend, it’s just the kind of outcome Miami need to stay on course with key superstars at the 2024 Copa América. It should fuel confidence and belief among youngsters and reserves whose contributions are for now essential, an example of the technical staff’s big-picture plans working out just as desired.

“They became good names in a difficult time for the team last year. So they are perfectly used to continue with their situation and we’re very happy with how they play,” said Tata of his kids, hailing the likes of Noah Allen, Benja Cremaschi, Yannick Bright, Leo Afonso and Shanyder Borgelin. “All the young ones are showing up when we need them. They know what happens when we have all of our roster complete. But right now it’s their turn and they have to face it.”

Fray’s triumphant return from the latest in his brutally unlucky string of three ACL injuries adds to the feel-good factor – “that goal is something that we value and we enjoy,” said Martino – and the 21-year-old defender also pressured Moreira into the giveaway that led to Campana’s winner. It’s the Ecuadorian striker’s fifth goal contribution against Columbus since last April, and it will be particularly galling viewing for the Crew given its self-inflicted nature.

“We just needed to be sharper. I thought they did a good job defensively of being tight and compact, and they were dangerous on the counter,” said midfielder Darlington Nagbe. “We can play out of the back if we make better decisions, better choices. So I wouldn’t put that one on the way we play.

“They did a good job trying to stop us from playing up the middle. We still created some chances but we couldn’t finish.”

The result snaps the Crew’s four-game road winning streak in league play and represents a missed opportunity to snatch points off a severely depleted IMCF group. Head coach Wilfried Nancy said that part wasn’t as frustrating as the generous nature of the goals they allowed, digging them a hole that even a ferocious second-half rally couldn’t erase.

“Today I would have preferred to concede in another way,” added the Frenchman. “It could have been better.

“The frustration is about the way we conceded the goals,” he added. “We tried to attack, we tried to unbalance them, we were in their half in the second half. We had a moment in the first half where it was difficult, it’s normal, because also this is a good team. … We had opportunities. with a bit of a better decision, we could have scored the second goal.”