Despite Matuidi’s impressive debut, Inter Miami settles for 0-0 tie vs. Nashville SC
A driving rainstorm delayed the start of Inter Miami’s home game against Nashville SC and the debut of French World Cup-winning midfielder Blaise Matuidi on Sunday night.
The former Juventus and Paris Saint Germain star was slated to start in the No. 8 jersey when the skies opened up over Inter Miami Stadium in Fort Lauderdale.
Play eventually got underway an hour and a half late. Despite Matuidi’s notable contributions, Miami’s domination on the offensive end, and five excellent chances on goal, Inter Miami went scoreless for the third game in a row and settled for a 0-0 tie.
Miami’s record is 1-6-2. Coach Diego Alonso said afterward that the frustration of not being able to score is affecting the team’s confidence and that the club is actively pursuing another player, though he would not say a name or position.
There are widespread reports that Argentine forward Gonzalo Higuain, who was Matuidi’s teammate at Juventus, is close to signing with Inter Miami. A league source confirmed to the Herald that advanced talks are underway with Higuain.
Both teams waited out the storm in their locker rooms while a spirited group of soggy supporters, unable to enter the stadium due to COVID-19 restrictions, waved their pink and black flags and chanted in the parking lot.
Matuidi started in the midfield along with Lewis Morgan, Rodolfo Pizarro, and Victor Ulloa. Alonso went with two forwards – Julian Carranza and Juan Agudelo. The defense remained intact from previous games – captain Luis Robles in goal, with Andres Reyes, Nico Figal, Ben Sweat and Leandro Gonzalez Pirez along the back line.
Matuidi, the 33-year-old veteran, played 79 minutes after just two training sessions with the team and a month off since his last match with Juventus.
He didn’t do anything flashy, but he made quick smart decisions on the ball, pushed the team forward, and delivered pinpoint passes, which made the players around him better. He connected on 90.4 percent of his passes, and had 66 touches, 52 passes and two scoring chances created. Only Gonzalez Pirez, who played 90 minutes, had more touches (76) and passes (59).
Matuidi said he expected to play 60 minutes, but he and Alonso decided to let him push on.
“I am a bit tired,” he said. “It has been a while since I played, and I only had two training sessions with the team. But I’m happy with the overall game, though it’s not the result we were hoping for. I definitely see quality (on the team) and there is not a lot missing from us winning. It all falls to the details and completing the work in the final third.”
Matuidi’s presence in the center of the field freed up playmaker Pizarro to dart around the box and create scoring chances, but he wound up misfiring on two close-range shots. Agudelo was also extremely active from the wing, and Figal generated offense up the sideline. Both also missed shots.
Matuidi said his role is similar to what he has played his entire career, “to help organize the team, find ways to push us forward, and set up players offensively.”
Nashville had a couple of chances off set pieces, one of which was cleared at the line by Figal. Robles made a few big saves in the closing minutes to preserve the shutout.
One notable absence from the roster was Matias Pellegrini, who watched the game from the stands. A team spokesperson said he suffered a minor injury. Pellegrini, the young Argentine, has been having an “up and down” season, Alonso said last week, which the coach attributed to his youth. Asked after the game why he wasn’t on the roster, Alonso replied “He wasn’t available.”
Of Miami’s four scheduled home games thus far this season, only one has gone off as planned – the Aug. 22 game against Orlando City, which resulted in a 3-2 Miami win, the team’s only victory.
The Aug. 26 game against Atlanta was called off minutes before kickoff as part of the Black Lives Matter protest.
Back in mid-March, two days before Inter Miami’s highly-anticipated home debut, Major League Soccer suspended the season for the pandemic. Their next game is at home Sept. 9 against Atlanta – the makeup game for the Black Lives Matter boycott game.
Kicking Childhood Cancer
As part of the MLS Kick Childhood Cancer campaign, Sunday’s match against Nashville featured a commemorative gold ribbon on the official game ball, gold corner flags and goal nets, gold captains’ armbands and gold ribbon jersey patches and gold wristbands for the referees.
During Friday’s practice, Inter Miami players wore special SebastianStrong Foundation branded training tops with the phrase “For Sebastian”, honoring Sebastian Ortiz, who lost his battle with Sarcoma in December 2016.
The shirts were signed by the players and sold online with proceeds going to the Inter Miami CF Foundation and a donation from there to SebastianStrong.
Also, in partnership with Baptist Health’s Miami Cancer Institute Pediatric Cancer Unit, Inter Miami will deliver co-branded MLS WORKS and Continental Tire Care Kits and tires to patients and families in need next week. The kits include games, activities, puzzles and more.
Inter Miami has also secured fan cutouts for matchday to highlight kids and families undergoing treatment for cancer at Baptist as well as medical workers helping to save lives including doctors, nurses and social workers.
Fans are urged to support the effort by submitting “Messages of Hope” on social media channels using #KickChildhoodCancer. For each post, Continental Tire will donate $25 to fund pediatric cancer research.
This story was originally published September 6, 2020 at 9:46 PM.