Time is running out for Inter Miami. Road win vs. Red Bulls would revive playoff hopes
Inter Miami’s playoff chances slipped during a four-game losing skid, but a road win against the New York Red Bulls on Saturday could rekindle the team’s hopes.
Miami is in 11th place in the Eastern Conference, eight points shy of CF Montreal for the seventh and final playoff spot, with a game in hand. The Red Bulls are in ninth place, six points from the playoff line. Six games remain after Saturday.
“The team that wins this game will think ‘We can make the playoffs,’” Inter Miami coach Phil Neville said. “The team that loses have got a mountain to climb. So, it’s almost like a cup final. That’s the way I’m seeing it. Whoever wins this game in hand will probably get the impetus to go on and give it a go to get in the playoffs and I think that’s what makes Saturday’s game so good.”
One of the challenges, Neville said, is keeping players mentally sharp so they will not get distracted by offseason contract negotiations and the holidays.
“We’re at the stage in the season where we can go either way,” Neville said. “We can win one game and go kick on. Or the mentality of the team could look the other way and think the season’s over. The players I select from now until the end of the season will be those that are on the journey with us, not ones who lack belief.”
The last time the teams met, in Fort Lauderdale on Sept. 17, the Red Bulls dismantled Miami 4-0 to kick off a five-game unbeaten run. New York is 3-0-2 over those games and has allowed just two goals. Inter Miami, meanwhile, is 0-4 since that game. Miami lost 5-1 at home to Nashville, followed by 1-0 road losses at Atlanta and Portland.
“We’ve got seven games, we need to win five and maybe draw one, to get to where we want to be,” Neville added. “We’ve got to make sure that we believe we can do that. We’ve got the talent to do that, we’ve been on runs this season where we can easily achieve this. Now it’s about belief. Belief that we can achieve what we want to achieve, and to do that we’re going to have to sacrifice and go on an incredible run.”
He challenged all his players to step up, especially the forwards and attacking midfielders. Miami has scored just one goal over the past four games.
“If our front players perform, we will get in the playoffs, it’s as simple as that,” Neville said. “I make no bones or apologies for that, we need our front players to perform, we need them to be ruthless, we need them to score goals, create chances.”
Another area of concern has been defending set pieces. Of the 11 goals Miami conceded during the losing streak, eight came from set pieces and centering passes. The Red Bulls play a relentless high-pressing style, and Miami will be better prepared this time, Neville said.
“They blew us away with their intensity and physicality,” Neville said. “We have to compete to win the first, second and third ball. We have to stay with runs and keep 11 players on the pitch. That cost us last time with Nico [Figal] getting sent off, left us a mountain to climb.”
Miami will not be full strength for Saturday’s game (6 p.m., Univision), especially on the defensive end. Starting left back Christian Makoun is on duty with the Venezuelan national team. Center back Figal (calf strain) is doubtful. Left back Kieran Gibbs (hamstring) is questionable, midfielder/captain Gregore is coming off a head injury, and midfielder Victor Ulloa remains bothered by quad injury.
As a result of the absences, Inter Miami is eligible for an MLS “Extreme Hardship” call-up and added 6-6 center back Aime Mabika to the roster for the game. Mabika was a 2021 Miami draft pick out of University of Kentucky and has been playing for the club’s Fort Lauderdale USL team.
Left winger Brek Shea, who may have to fill in at center back, remains optimistic.
“The Red Bulls press high, they wait for that backwards pass and then come with everything they got,” Shea said. “If we can just suck them in and penetrate that backwards pass reaching further lines than just what’s in front of us, we cut out four to six players and then we go and attack and they’re retreating and we have opportunities. If we can find ways to play through them quickly and further than just what’s right in front of us, beat that press, then I think we have the advantage. As long as we get past that, then I would take us a million times over them.”
This story was originally published October 8, 2021 at 1:35 PM.