{"id":28935,"date":"2020-08-23T07:00:28","date_gmt":"2020-08-23T11:00:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsoccer.com\/?p=28935"},"modified":"2020-08-23T02:20:30","modified_gmt":"2020-08-23T06:20:30","slug":"inter-miami-finally-win","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/soccer\/2020\/08\/23\/inter-miami-finally-win\/","title":{"rendered":"Inter Miami Finally Taste Victory in Home Opener"},"content":{"rendered":"

Fort Lauderdale, Fla.<\/strong> – It came in a modular stadium of echoes, in Fort Lauderdale, 34 miles from the Melreese Golf Course in Miami that Club Internacional de Futbol Miami wants to call home, in a home opener played in the month of August, with the closest thing to fans the cardboard cutouts that lined the goal on the supporters end.<\/span><\/p>\n

After a Long Journey, Inter Miami Finally Taste Victory<\/h2>\n

It came after an investor and ownership shakeup, more special press events than you can count, multiple proposed stadium sites, and endless political debates and hiccups seemingly straight out of a Carl Hiaasen novel– nearly 2,390 days after David Beckham informed MLS he would exercise his option to become an MLS franchise owner.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But it came nonetheless: the first win for Inter Miami, a 3-2 rollicking back and forth affair with Orlando City, the club\u2019s MLS in Florida 2.0 expansion big brother to the north.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Call the natural rivalry game the Florida Man Derby, the Sunpassico, the Hot Mess– anything you\u2019d like. Just don\u2019t call Inter Miami, who lost their first five games, losers anymore.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The monkey is off the club\u2019s back, and it came on a sweltering August in Fort Lauderdale night where despite the heat, the club that was David Beckham\u2019s dream refused to wilt.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI feel very happy. I am happy for the players, the owners, and above all the fans. We suffered, and had to wait a long time for it, but our players were rewarded for that suffering tonight.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Inter Miami high line featured prominently in the first half, as Diego Alonso shifted formations to a 4-3-3 that saw Wil Trapp sit very deep in a midfield triangle, often interchanging and playing behind with newly minted Inter Miami signing and MLS All-Star <\/span>\u00a0Leandro Gonz\u00e1lez P\u00edrez when the Herons were in possession.<\/span><\/p>\n

Meanwhile, <\/span>\u00d3scar Pareja made the curious decision to shake up his starting lineup, the result being that without Chris Mueller, who was banged up in Orlando CIty\u2019s run to the MLS is Back Tournament final, <\/span>Uri Rosell was stationed on the flank for the game\u2019s first half hour. Rosell was ineffective early and struggled to combine with the rest of the Orlando midfield, a group that looked so formidable at Disney World last month.<\/span><\/p>\n

Orlando\u2019s difficulties keeping the ball early played into the hands of Inter Miami\u2019s high line, and the hosts took full advantage in the twelfth minute when a midfield turnover led to Rodolfo Pizarro moving downhill in space. <\/span><\/p>\n

The Mexican international, who has been splendid for Inter Miami throughout this truly bizarre inaugural season, played a tidy ball through to young Argentine <\/span>Juli\u00e1n Carranza, who slotted hard and low into the corner past MLS Is Back Tournament hero Pedro Gallese to give Inter Miami it\u2019s first home goal in club history.<\/span><\/p>\n

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If you missed it or just want to see it again, here\u2019s the first MLS goal scored at Inter Miami CF Stadium. \ud83c\udfdf <\/p>\n

Brought to you by Julian Carranza. \u26bd\ufe0f #InterMiamiCF<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/DGYPRbi15G<\/a><\/p>\n

— Franco Panizo (@FrancoPanizo) August 23, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n