Inter Miami forward Gonzalo Higuain will miss Saturday road game vs. Seattle Sounders
Inter Miami forward Gonzalo Higuain did not travel with the team for Saturday’s match against the Seattle Sounders and will not be available for the game day roster.
Higuain sat out last Saturday’s 3-2 home win against the New England Revolution, and the club cited a “slight knee injury.” He did not practice Monday through Wednesday this week, and did some light individual work on Thursday morning.
Coach Phil Neville had said on Tuesday that he hoped to have Higuain back in time for the weekend game, but that will not be the case.
He went on to say the next 10 days are “massive” as they have three games – on the road against the Sounders on Saturday (10 p.m., FS1), at FIU Stadium Tuesday night against USL club Miami FC in the U.S. Open Cup, and then at home Apr. 24 against Atlanta United.
Victor Ulloa, Kieran Gibbs and Joevin Jones, all of whom had been battling injuries, were at practice this week. George Acosta had minor knee surgery Monday and Edison Azcona is day to day.
Forward Leonardo Campana stepped up in Higuain’s absence, scored the first hat trick in club history and was named MLS Player of the Week. Neville heaped praise on the young Ecuadorean and suggested there is true competition for the starting job.
“He played a lot freer without Gonzalo in the team because he was the man, sometimes center forwards need to be that person everyone looks to and relies on for goals,” Neville said. “What we saw Saturday was somebody willing to take on that mantle of being the main guy, the main No. 9 on the team. With four goals already this season, he’s someone that’s going to be really exciting.
“He’s got everything you’d want in a good old-fashioned center forward you see in England. Size, stature, physique, the ability to dominate center backs. He’s still getting adjusted to the league and I think there’s another 15 to 20 percent still to come. His finishing is as good as it comes.”
Asked, going forward, how he will decide who starts between Higuain and Campana, Neville said: “The best team to win the game plays. What we saw on Saturday was 11 players plus the three subs all headed in the same direction, working hard, staying together, sticking to the game plan. And that’s going to be the order of the day from now until the end of the season. We’ve found a formula now that is non-negotiable.”
Mabika makes strides
Center back Aime Mabika, who started his first game of the season last Saturday, is playing with more confidence after spending nearly a week on international duty with the Zambian national team.
“Going away for six days, change of scenery, hearing instruction from a different coach, playing with different players opened up my mind, I gained a lot of confidence and perspective,” Mabika said. “In those six days I was able to change my mentality as a person and a player, so I have to just continue working hard and continue developing.”
Mabika, who is 6-6, said he is also learning from veteran Inter Miami center back Damion Lowe, who is captain of Jamaica’s national team. Lowe is 6-3, so they make a formidable duo.
“Damion is a bit older than me, so I am able to get alot of advice from him for on field stuff and off-field stuff,” Mabika said. “He’s taken me under his wing. He’s had a lot of experiences and I’m just beginning my career, so he’s been very beneficial for me.”
Mabika, a voracious reader, was looking forward to the long flight to Seattle so he could dive into his two latest book selections, The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho and World Order by Henry Kissinger.
This story was originally published April 14, 2022 at 8:23 AM.