No. 1 draft pick Robinson scores, Lewis Morgan adapts as Inter Miami wins 1-0
ST. PETERSBURG – The game time temperature might have been a bit chilly for some Inter Miami players and the hundreds of drum-banging, cymbal-clanging fans who made the cross-state trek to Al Lang Stadium; but for Lewis Morgan, low 60s seemed balmy.
Morgan, the 23-year-old winger, is from Scotland. He played for Celtic in Glasgow, where it was 38 degrees and raining on Saturday. Getting used to the weather is one of the challenges Morgan faced heading into Saturday night’s final preseason game against the Tampa Bay Rowdies, which Miami won 1-0 with a mostly reserve team.
Miami’s goal was scored in the 22nd minute by No. 1 college draft pick Robbie Robinson of Clemson. He slotted in a goal inside the penalty area off an assist from Jay Chapman, who made a run up the left sideline.
“I’m very happy with the result, the most important thing is we were able to get the win,” said Robinson. “I’m so excited and happy to have scored my first goal. The team fought really well and the fans were amazing, they brought us energy the second half. I heard the fans would be really good, but I didn’t expect that. It’s crazy they came so far for us.”
Fans from all three supporters groups -- Vice City, Southern Legion and The Siege -- showed up and made noise from start to finish.
“We were the visiting team, but it felt like we were the home team because of the passion of the fans,” said Miami coach Diego Alonso. “It was amazing they traveled so far for a preseason match.”
The expected starters played a closed-door scrimmage Saturday morning against Major League Soccer team FC Dallas. The Rowdies play in the USL Championship league, a tier below MLS.
“It’s definitely a little warmer in Florida than I’m used to,” said Morgan, who started against the Rowdies. “That’s probably one of the biggest differences for me, getting used to playing in this climate. I’m sure the more days I put in I will acclimatize to that.”
Stepping out of his comfort zone is exactly what Morgan aimed to do when he decided to sign with a Major League Soccer club 4,200 miles away from home. He was with Celtic for two seasons, but his playing time was limited. He spent the second half of last season on loan in England at Sunderland, where he had a goal and four assists in 17 games.
Why Morgan chose Inter Miami
He could have signed with more than a half-dozen interested teams in England’s championship league (the tier behind the Premier League). Instead, he chose to move to an expansion Miami team with a Latin flair and a completely unfamiliar culture.
He got a taste of the club’s Hispanic culture on Saturday, when Inter Miami supporters sang in Spanish and banged drums outside the team hotel before the game. “Ole, Ole, Ole, Cada Dia Te Quiero Mas! (Every Day I Love You More)” they sang, a takeoff on the Argentine national team chant. “Dale Rosado! (Let’s Go Pink!) they belted out.
When the team emerged from the hotel to walk across the street to the stadium, players joined the fans in song, and even did some drum banging.
“The decision to sign with Inter Miami was about pushing myself and my comfort zone, coming over here and learning a new style of play in a new part of the world and working with a coaching staff that obviously their first language is not English,” Morgan said. “Those were all things I thought would help with my development as a player. So far, I’m finding that to be the case.”
Morgan took a basic Spanish course some years back, which is coming in handy, but the real language education on and off the field is coming from his new teammates.
“I feel like I’m blending in great,” he said. “The guys have been brilliant. From what I’ve seen so far there’s a real unity in the group and some veterans from this league are helping blend everyone together and making sure everyone is involved with each other. All the Spanish-speaking guys are trying to learn English and vice versa.”
Inter Miami COO and sporting director Paul McDonough became aware of Morgan last year, and followed him closely. He not only impressed in league games, but he has two caps with the Scotland national team. His transfer fee was undisclosed, but Scottish media reported it to be in the $350,000 to $400,000 range.
“Lewis is an exciting player that will contribute to our attack,” McDonough said. “He is a pacey and dynamic player who operates well in space. He has shown his quality in Scotland and in England and we’re happy to acquire him.”
Alonso is pleased with what he has seen so far from Morgan: “He is a great addition to the group. Great person. We feel he can help us as a player. He has to adapt because he came from four weeks without training, so he is growing day by day, and needs more time to adjust. With his experience in Europe, we’re hoping he can help.”
As Morgan shakes off the rust, he has been getting integrated to Alonso’s ball-possession style.
“The first week, I was just getting my feet in the door, but now I feel like I’m fitting into the group,” he said. “It’s a different philosophy from what I’m been used to, so I’m learning new things every day.”
Morgan, Robinson and Chapman were joined in Saturday’s starting lineup by: John McCarthy (GK), Alvas Powell (D), Roman Torres (D), Christian Makoun (D), Grant Lillard (D), Mikey Ambrose (D), AJ DeLaGarza (MF), and Luis Argudo (MF). Using a 5-4-1 formation, Miami put pressure on the Rowdies with short passes and constant ball movement.
The Rowdies scored in the 79th minute, but the goal was disallowed due to a hand ball.
Working for David Beckham “a thrill”
Morgan was intrigued by the Inter Miami offer because of “the ambition” of the club. The fact that David Beckham is a part-owner was a bonus. He was delighted to get a welcome note from the soccer icon on social media.
“Of course, having a name like Beckham attached, especially for a player from Britain, is a big thrill, Morgan said.
After training in St. Petersburg for a week, Inter Miami returns to its new Fort Lauderdale training complex on Monday to begin preparations for its inaugural season opener at Los Angeles FC on Mar. 1 at 5:30 p.m.
Alonso and his staff are still deciding on a starting lineup. He said Robinson still has a lot to learn, but he has shown his quality during camp, and has played well in the absence of injured forwards Julian Carranza and Juan Agudelo.
“We had a very productive week,” Alonso said. “We are very happy with the work the players have put in. We have another week to prepare for the start of the season, and we have a few positions that are very even, so we are rotating players to evaluate them individually and collectively.”
The home opener is Mar. 14 against the Los Angeles Galaxy. Single-game tickets for that game are sold out, but some are available with season-ticket packages. Go to intermiamicf.com for information.
This story was originally published February 22, 2020 at 5:29 PM.