Everything you should know about Inter Miami home game vs. New England Revolution
The last time the New England Revolution played Inter Miami at DRV PNK Stadium, in July 2021, the visitors recorded their most lopsided win of the season (5-0) and coach Bruce Arena offered dejected Miami coach Phil Neville some words of wisdom after the game.
Miami was mired in a six-game losing streak at the time. Arena advised Neville to stay true to his plan, and predicted that better days were ahead. Miami lost just one of its next 11 games.
The teams meet again Saturday (3 p.m., ESPN) on the same field and Miami finds itself in a similar situation, desperate for a victory after going winless through the first five games of the season. Miami’s 0-4-1 record and minus-10 goal differential are worst in Major League Soccer.
One difference is that New England, a perennial power which won the Supporters Shield last season for best record in the league, is going through struggles of its own. The Revs are 1-3-1 and in 12th place in the Eastern Conference, two spots ahead of Inter Miami.
New England conceded an own goal in the 90th minute and lost 1-0 to the New York Red Bulls last weekend at home. The Revs then saw forward Adam Buksa sent off after getting a pair of yellow cards one minute apart in stoppage time, which means he will miss the Miami game.
The Revs have lost four games in a row, counting CONCACAF Champions League games, and have scored just once in their last three games.
Inter Miami, also on a four-game skid, is coming off a 3-1 home loss to Houston. Miami has scored three goals this season and allowed 13.
“Saturday gives us a great opportunity to get back out there and continue building and keep believing in what we’re doing playing against one of the best sides in the league with my favorite manager in the league, Bruce Arena,” Neville said.
“Since I came here, he’s been one of the managers that’s really helped in terms of me learning from him and the chats that we’ve had. It will be great to see Bruce before and after the game. But during the game we’re going to try to put on a great show and get the first win, which we want to dedicate to our supporters who have been absolutely fantastic and stuck with us.”
New England Revolution midfielder Carles Gil, whom Neville called “pound-for-pound the best player in the league last year,” said his team is prepared for a fired up Miami squad.
“It’s a difficult moment for them. I’m sure the first minutes will be hard for us because at home they will try to get the three points,” Gil said. “We’ll need to be focused in the game in every duel, every play, to try to have the first chances, also the first goal. I think it’s very important for us to try to score the first goal.”
Neville and his players have been trying to block out the negative comments from fans and media and build on the positives, such as that they took 22 shots against Houston.
“You read `Inter Miami are this,’ `Inter Miami are that,’ `Inter Miami are in crisis’ and you have to flip that,” Neville said. “We showed them footage of the Houston game, and they could see we’re not that far way. We’ve got to keep believing. We’re all feeling frustrated.”
Goalkeeper Nick Marsman, who returned to the starting lineup last week after missing five months with a knee injury, put it more simply: “It’s a [expletive] feeling at the moment. We’re out of excuses. We’ve had enough time to get to know each other. It’s time to perform. We’ve been talking a lot, but now it’s time to act. We need a result.”
One fan who won’t be at the game is co-owner David Beckham, whose son Brooklyn, is getting married to Nicola Peltz in Palm Beach.
INTER MIAMI vs MIAMI FC
Inter Miami will play USL team Miami FC at FIU Stadium on Apr. 19 in the third round of the U.S. Open Cup, a matchup already being dubbed “Miami Clasico”. Miami FC is coached by former Inter Miami assistant Anthony Pulis.
“We’re looking forward to it,” Neville said. “It’s a competition we’re going to go for, we’re going to play our best 11 in every U.S. Open Cup game because I liken it to the FA Cup in England, and Miami FC, a USL team, will want to beat us.”
Pulis added: “I am pretty sure I can speak for the entire club and say we are excited to host inter Miami at FIU Stadium. We know how special the U.S. Open Cup is for Miami FC fans given the success in the past and we’re looking forward to representing them on the pitch. It’ll be a great match for all the Miami community.”
RADIO DEAL
Audacy was signed as the team’s local English-language radio partner and will broadcast games on 790 The Ticket beginning Saturday. Chris Wittyngham and Thomas Rongen will serve as the English radio voices for the club.