Inter Miami might get Pizarro back for MLS playoff game at Nashville on Friday
Inter Miami and Nashville SC will be battling to keep their inaugural seasons alive when the two expansion teams meet Friday night at Nissan Stadium for the MLS Playoffs Play-In Round.
And both teams may get key players back, as ESPN reported Tuesday that MLS plans to use charter flights to speed the return of players who have been abroad on national team duty this week. Miami playmaker Rodolfo Pizarro is in Austria with the Mexican national team, and Nashville’s Randall Leal is with the Costa Rican team. They were expected to miss the game because of a nine-day league-mandated quarantine upon their return, but, according to ESPN, infectious disease experts advised MLS that if charter flights are used and proper testing is done, the quarantine is not necessary.
The must-win game is at 9 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes.
If Miami wins, it advances to a first-round playoff game on the road against top-seeded Philadelphia Union on Nov. 24. If Miami loses, its season is over.
“Now starts a new tournament which has nothing to do with what’s happened through the 23 regular-season matches,” Inter Miami coach Diego Alonso said. “We love to play life-and-death matches. It’s 90 minutes in an away match that is totally different from what we did before.”
The teams have met twice. Nashville won 1-0 on Aug. 30 and their Sept. 6 game ended in a 0-0 tie.
Both teams will be missing key players.
Miami, which earned the playoff berth with a dramatic win over FC Cincinnati on the final day of the regular season, awaits the status of playmaker Pizarro, who was on duty with the Mexican national team in Europe. Mexico played Japan on Monday in Austria.
Defender Andres Reyes is suspended after receiving two yellow cards. Defender Nico Figal is doubtful with a left calf injury. Brek Shea, who scored four goals in 13 games this season, missed the past three games — two with an injury and the home finale because he was “not medically cleared” to play, the phrase MLS clubs have used this season for players dealing with COVID-19 issues.
One unnamed Inter Miami tested positive for COVID-19 before the Nov. 8 game, according to multiple reports, and it is unknown whether that player has been medically cleared to play or whether any others have tested positive, as clubs are not required to publicly report test results.
MLS reported on Nov. 14 that seven players leaguewide and no staff members tested positive between Nov. 5-11. The New England Revolution reported Tuesday that one of its players tested positive on Sunday. The Seattle Sounders reported that a staff member tested positive. Inter Miami has not reported any positive cases since June.
Nashville may get back Leal, but Panamanian midfielder Anibal Godoy, one of the league’s most accurate passers, has a hamstring injury and may not play.
Local charity wins MLS community award
Inter Miami announced Tuesday that it selected Jose Benchimol and his organization Sholem Corazon Valiente as the recipient of the 2020 MLS Community MVP Award presented by Wells Fargo. The award honors their humanitarian efforts during COVID-19 and work with young South Florida athletes.
The organization was founded after Benchimol’s teenage son, Sholem, a soccer player at Scheck Hillel Community School, died in April 2020 when his bicycle was hit by a car. Sholem was a longtime fan of Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham and wore a kippah on his head during games to honor his Jewish faith.
The Benchimols started a soccer academy with non-Saturday games for players who observe a Saturday Sabbath. They also organized food drives during the pandemic. The organization received a $2,500 donation with the MLS award.
Jim Curtin wins MLS Coach of the Year
Among the other MLS post-season awards, Philadelphia’s Jim Curtin won Coach of the Year after leading the Union to the Supporters’ Shield for best regular-season record (14-4-5).
Uruguayan 22-year-old Diego Rossi won the MLS Golden Boot Award with 14 goals in 19 games. Philadelphia’s Andre Blake won Goalkeeper of the Year. Lucas Zalarayan, the Columbus Crew’s Argentine playmaker, won MLS Newcomer of the Year. Inter Miami’s Lewis Morgan finished fifth in voting for Newcomer of the Year.
This story was originally published November 17, 2020 at 2:46 PM.