After lifting the Leagues Cup, Inter Miami lost its first final
The absences of Messi and Jordi Alba were crucial in Tata Martino’s team
The Houston Dynamo raised its second US Open Cup by beating Inter Miami 1-2 this Wednesday in a very practical match in which they took many advantages from kickback and they took advantage of the absence of injured Leo Messi, who did not even enter the list of those available for the grand final.
The Argentine’s presence in this match was always a mystery. The club never published a squad list and in the previous press conference Gerardo Martino never ruled him out.
They won the narrative, but without Messi or Jordi Alba (also injured) Inter Miami lost too much to be able to beat a very well-established Houston Dynamo.
The Venezuelan Josef Martínez added excitement with a goal already in added time, in addition to multiple chances to equalize the clash, but they could only make up for the result and the title was won by the visitors.
Miami proposed and Houston scored the goals
Was Inter Miami willing in the first stages of the match, acting as home team and wanting to rule the field. They added arrivals to Andrew Tarbell’s area but without great danger.
But the association with the Mexican counterattack Héctor Herrera and Nelson Quiñones It devastated those in Miami. Drake Callender had to score the first shot from the Colombian in the 14th minute.
It was a new warning that served as a preamble to the first goal of the night, signed by Griffin Dorsey in the 24th minute. A terrible mistake by the Argentine Facundo Farías in the center of the field enabled another counterattack launched by the Moroccan Amine Bassi and led by Baird, who ended up on the right side of the attack for the surprise arrival of the Houston right-back, who sealed the goal with a huge shot.
Possession until then was for Inter Miami but the clearest chances were for the Texan team. And so the dynamics of the match continued, with the visiting team receiving a penalty committed by DeAndre Yedlin on Quiñones when the Colombian beat him in speed and had already surpassed him.
Bassi was in charge to convert it with cold blood, low and centered, deceiving a Callender who threw himself to his right. It was the 33rd minute and the advantage in the light was already notable.
Movements at rest
Martino moved the bench to start the second half, bringing on the Venezuelan Josef Martínez and the Ecuadorian Dixon Arroyo in place of Robert Taylor and the Paraguayan Diego Gómez who had gone completely unnoticed in the first half.
There was a reaction from the locals, who played much more in offensive territory. Sergio Busquets got into the central zone and allowed the full-backs, with Yedlin in front, to join the attack.
Ten minutes after the restart, the festival of opportunities arrived that confirmed Inter Miami’s improvement, but without success. In the 55th minute, Martínez headed a pass from Farías, three minutes later the Venezuelan wasted a great pass from Ecuadorian Leonardo Campana, and in the 59th minute the Argentine-American Benjamin Cremaschi tried a long shot from the edge of the area.
Houston saved the stoppage time on several occasions, but remained calm, betting on the same thing as in the first half: the counterattack. And he gave it results again, with Carrasquilla as the kicker in the 72nd minute. The ball passed from the Panamanian to Bassi and he gave it to Quiñones so that he would shoot with a cross shot to Callender.
He Inter The harassment of the visiting goal intensified. Farías produced his great work of the night with a through pass in the 92nd minute for Josef Martínez to finally beat Andrew Tarbell.
He roared DRV PNK Stadium to carry his team in search of the tying goal, and he had it Bell header, but lacked power. Farías and even Callender were also able to score, who went up to finish off the last corner.
The final whistle dried up the hope of Inter Miami, which gave them excitement without success until the last breath.
Many personalities from the world of football did not want to miss the grand final, such as the president of FIFA, Gianni Infantinoas well as the former Real Madrid player, Zinedine Zidanewho watched the game with David Beckham in his box. NBA star James was also at the DRV PNK Stadium. Hardenwho is one of the owners of the Houston Dynamo.