Inter Miami CF coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino stated prior to Saturday’s match against Tigres UANL that he was going to make some rotations because it was a life or death match, although at times it seemed that way on the field at NRG Stadium in Houston.
Martino made a few changes in a fairly even match, although in the end two gifts from Inter’s center-backs were well taken advantage of by Tigres’s attackers, who took a 2-1 victory to finish in first place in Group East 3.
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With this result, the UANL team will face the loser of the match this Sunday, the 11th, between Pachuca and Toronto while the Miami team will face the loser next Thursday at Chase Stadium in the next phase.
Tigres’s goals were scored by Juan Brunetta (18′) and Juan Vigon (84′), while Inter’s goal was scored by Leonardo Campana (74′) from a penalty.
The match served as a touchstone for Miami for what is to come, facing a team with great players and a lot of experience although from what was seen in the 90 minutes, they deserved to win.
Inter dominated the match with 55.9 percent possession, with more shots on goal (11-9) but above all with 5 of them on target, while the UANL boys only needed three shots on goal to score two goals.
Despite Tata giving top scorer Luis Suarez a rest and leaving Sergio Busquets on the bench, the team did not lose composure in the first half and part of the second, although his entry brought about the equalizer and it was a real shame what happened next.
Inter should have beaten a very docile Tigres, or at least drawn, first because they played better, second because they are the champions, and third because it is never good to lose and this is something that if they want to be true champions everyone has to learn and not waste opportunities.
The Miami coach started with Drake Callender, Marcelo Weigandtt, Tomas Aviles, David Martinez, Jordi Alba, Federico Redondo, Yannick Bright, Matas Rojas Julian Gressel, Leo Campana, and Robert Taylor. He made 5 changes in the second half.
The first half was highly contested and ended 1-0 in favor of Tigres, who had slightly more possession (50.2%), although Inter had two more shots (6-4) with equal shots on target (2-2) with chances for both sides that could very well have changed the score.
The goal for the UANL boys came early, in the 18th minute, when Brunetta took a headed pass from Nicolas Ibanez in the left corner of the area, after a gift from Tomas Aviles on the way out, and without thinking twice he took a right-footed half-volley shot that slipped into the right corner of the goal, surprising Callender.
Tata Martino’s team pressed from then on in search of a draw, but Tigres’s defense held its ground very well and maintained its lead at the end of the first 45 minutes. The intensity of the game forced the referee to issue 4 yellow cards.
In the second half, Inter came out with greater intensity, being far superior, creating very dangerous chances, completely dominating the match, but without success in front of goal.
At 69′ he made four changes at once. Busquets came on for Bright, David Ruiz for Gressel, Franco Negri for Alba and Leo Afonso for Taylor. They were good changes, man for man, and five minutes later the equalizer came.
Campana was caught in the goalmouth by Guido Pizarro and the referee did not hesitate to award the penalty. Campana himself took the penalty very well in the 74th minute to tie the score at 1-1.
Everything looked good for Miami, which with the draw qualified first when its coach wanted to give minutes to Sergio Kryvtsov, who was coming off an injury, taking Martinez off the field, but the Ukrainian came in stiff, without rhythm, and gave the second gift of the night.
In a dead-end cross after a corner kick, Kryvtsov, in an attempt to clear the ball, left the ball dead at the feet of substitute Vigon, who from the center of the area, slightly to the right and unmarked, fired a powerful right-footed shot to the near post to score the goal in the 84th minute that ultimately decided the match 2-1.
Miami tried desperately, but they missed Lionel Messi, who missed his second game. Leo, now without the boot, is immersed in the rehabilitation process to recover from his right ankle injury. Now the big question is whether he will be ready in time for the game on Thursday 8th against Toronto or Pachuca, which is a matter of life or death.
