Union could embarrass Inter Miami's porous defense tonight in Philadelphia
Herons hope to snap three-match skid at Subaru Park
It turns out that defense is important, after all.
Especially against a team that put four on the board last time you played. Inter Miami will kick off against the Philadelphia Union at 6:30 p.m. CDT tonight at Subaru Park, almost three months after Las Garzas won a wild 6-4 shootout between the teams in Florida.
The Messi Project at Inter Miami has seen the Herons’ trade defensive structure for offensive firepower, especially under interim coach Guillerko Hoyos, gambling that their high-powered attack can outscore its opponents.
That may be true against most MLS competition, but the better teams can turn the Herons’ strategy against them with disciplined defense and quick transitions — the most recent example is Nashville’s 4-1 beatdown of Las Garzas on Saturday.
The Herons are 3-3-1 since the World Cup break and have conceded as many goals (14) as they’ve scored in that time. Miami has been outscored 9-4 in its last three matches, all losses.
Hoyos said earlier this week that the team is working to improve its defense but dismissed the suggestion that it’s a major concern.
“Inter Miami remains a leading club, losing one or two games is normal in a competitive league,” Hoyos said. “We have to recover from these results as quickly as we can….getting a win would give us a big boost of positive energy.”
Inter Miami (11-3-5, 38 points) is second to Nashville SC (43 points) in Major League Soccer’s Eastern Conference and Supporters’ Shield races. Tonight, Philadelphia is 13th in the East, but don’t be fooled; since that loss to Miami before MLS’ World Cup break, the Union has won five of seven matches (with losses to Cruz Azul and Santos Laguna in Leagues Cup play) and outscored their opponents 13-9.
Philadelphia has won its last four league matches, scoring twice as many goals as its opponents (10-5). If Hoyos can't come up with a better defensive plan, the Union could embarrass the defending MLS champions.
To be fair to the Herons, Hoyos’ squad has struggled with injuries, suspensions, international duty and unexpected family tragedies since league play resumed in July. For tonight's match, Las Garzas are expected to be without wingers Tadeo Allende (still recovering from a knee surgery) and Mateo Silvetti (shoulder), center back Micael dos Santos Silva (ankle), striker Germán Berterame (who is practicing with the team but hasn't yet cleared the league's concussion protocol), and Ricardo De Paul (suspended for yellow-card accumulation).
So, who might start tonight at Subaru Park? Here's my guess (written shortly before the club released its lineup), assuming Hoyos goes with a 4-3-3: St. Clair; Reguilón, Allen, Gonzalo Luján, Maxi Falcón, Fray; Segovia, Casemiro, Bright; Pintér, Suárez, Messi.
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