Inter Miami keeper Nick Marsman makes two big saves to secure 0-0 road tie vs. Orlando
The flood of recent goals dried up on Friday night for Inter Miami, but the defense dug in, and goalkeeper Nick Marsman made two crucial saves to help secure a 0-0 tie against in-state rival Orlando City on the road at Exploria Stadium.
It was Miami’s second clean sheet of the season, Marsman’s first shutout since joining the team in July, and the team’s mid-season turnaround continues with just one loss in the past eight games.
Miami moved up a spot in the Eastern Conference standings to 10th place with a 6-9-5 record and 23 points, three shy of the playoff line with 14 games remaining and two games in hand.
“I’m pleased with another point on the road and with our fight and determination,” said coach Phil Neville. “We’re building momentum. We had some real heroic performances. Our keeper was just outstanding. We’ve got a real top class keeper in Nick. The back three were absolutely fantastic, as well. We’re beginning to look like a team that Inter Miami supporters can be proud of.”
Marsman made a save on a Tesho Akindele penalty kick in the 12th minute and the Dutch keeper came to the rescue again late in the game with a huge diving save on Antonio Carlos’ header. The ball appeared to be going in, but Marsman extended his body across the line and tipped it out with his glove. He was voted Man of the Match.
“I waited a long time for a clean sheet, I have to say,” Marsman said, smiling. “I’m very happy I could be useful for the team and save the point.”
Marsman said he felt somewhat lucky on the penalty kick after guessing correctly and going to the right for the save. The second one was more complicated.
“It was crowded in front of me and the header came and luckily I was able to reach it and finally get some good saves,” he said. “Today was not really a good performance for us, but we were fighting and we got the point.”
Both teams had a goal disallowed for offside in the first half.
Orlando appeared to take a 1-0 lead in the 25th minute on a Robin Jansson goal off a corner kick, but it was nullified after VAR showed the ball had been redirected off the foot of Akindele, who was in an offside position.
The game remained scoreless the rest of the half. Inter Miami forward Gonzalo Higuain scored a crafty goal off a long pass from Blaise Matuidi in first-half stoppage time, but it was called back for offside.
Entering the game, Inter Miami was 4-1-2 and has scored 12 goals over its previous seven games, including six in the past two games. But Miami struggled to maintain possession of the ball and could not find the back of the net on Friday night.
“The last time we played them we only created two or three chances so I we knew there would be only a few chances against them,” Neville said. “We probably needed better quality in our final third, that final pass, our final execution. I do feel when we’re playing against the top teams that is one area we need to improve.”
Orlando, the second-best team in the East, improved to 9-4-8 with 35 points. In two previous meetings this season Miami lost at home 2-1 on June 25 and tied 1-1 on the road Aug. 4.
Miami goes back on the road Sept. 4 for a game against Cincinnati. Forward Robbie Robinson and midfielder Rodolfo Pizarro will miss the game as both are on national team duty for World Cup qualifying matches – Robinson with Chile and Pizarro with Mexico.
They probably will also have to sit out the Sept. 11 home game against Columbus, depending on the league’s COVID quarantine protocol upon their return.
Wing back Kieran Gibbs left the game late in the first half with a groin strain and his status for next week’s game is unknown.
Six of Miami’s next nine games are on the road. Neville said he hopes his players will continue to show the fighting spirit they have shown in recent games.
“We’ve worked their socks off the past two months to get them to this level, so now they have a few days off to refresh and get ready for the last lap, the last charge from now until the end of the season,” Neville said.
This story was originally published August 28, 2021 at 12:28 AM.