After extending its unbeaten streak to four games, the longest in Club history, Inter Miami CF (4W-4D-8L, 16 points) will face New York City FC (8W-4D-5L, 28 points) this Saturday, Aug. 14 at Red Bull Arena. The matchup is set to kick off at 8 p.m. ET.
Where to Watch
The match will be broadcast regionally on My33, CW34, Unimás, and the Inter Miami App. Fans worldwide can follow live updates including video highlights and stats on the Club’s App or through MLS LIVE on ESPN+. Download and Register your Profile here: https://www.intermiamicf.com/en/club/app.
Round Three vs. New York City FC
The encounter on Saturday will be the third match against New York City FC in Club history. In the team's inaugural campaign in 2020 Inter Miami rivaled New York City FC two times - once in the MLS is Back Tournament and once in MLS regular season action.
Unbeaten Run
Inter Miami CF is back on the road this week for a sole game on Saturday, Aug. 14 following its three-game week. The team will visit New York City FC with an unbeaten four match run, the longest unbeaten run in Club history. Inter Miami defeated Nashville SC 2-1 last Sunday; the triumph marked the Heron’s second home win of the campaign. Against Nashville, striker Gonzalo Higuaín drilled the ball into the bottom right corner of the net to tie the match in the 59th minute after a forward pass from Blaise Matuidi before winger Indiana Vassilev led the team to victory by scoring his first goal for the Club with a header in stoppage time. Gonzalo Higuaín was awarded Heineken Man of the Match honors due to his outstanding performance in the fixture; he leads the team in goals with eight so far this season.
Inter Miami will seek to claim its first win over the New York-based side to extend its current unbeaten run to five matches.
Team of the Week Honors for Blaise Matuidi
Matuidi was named as a starter in the MLS Team of the Week presented by Audi for Week 18 of the 2021 season. The all-action midfielder earned Team of the Week honors after his stellar performance in the 2-1 home win over Nashville SC on Sunday, Aug. 8, in which he provided the assist for the team’s first goal in the match and finished with a 95.5% pass completion rate. It was the Frenchman’s first assist of the 2021 Major League Soccer (MLS) season.
With Matuidi’s inclusion in Week 18, Inter Miami has now had a player named to the MLS Team of the Week in each of the past three weeks; with Gonzalo HIguaín named as a starter in Week 16 and Kieran Gibbs being selected as a starter in Week 17.
Familiar Faces
The matchup against New York could feature the reunion of several former teammates/rivals for players from both teams. Inter Miami attacker Gonzalo Higuaín rivaled NYCFC’s midfielder Maxi Moralez in five Serie A between 2013 and 2016 during Higuaín’s tenure with SSC Napoli and Moralez’s stay at Atalanta B.C. Midfielder Blaise Matuidi might encounter New York City right back Anton Tinnerholm once again after facing him and Malmö FF twice during his days as a Paris Saint Germain (PSG) player in the 2015-16 UEFA Champions League group stage. Additionally, Matuidi previously faced NYCFC centre-back Maxime Chanot on the international stage in a World Cup Qualifiers match in 2017, with Matuidi’s France defeating Chanot’s Luxembourg 3-1.
There could also be numerous reunions between players of U.S. National Team ranks. Inter Miami defender Ventura Alvarado earned six caps alongside New York City FC’s Alfredo Morales in the USMNT, sharing on the pitch in five friendlies and a 2015 Concacaf Gold Cup match. Vassilev played seven matches with NYCFC left-back Chris Gloster for the U-17 team, including three friendlies between 2017 and 2018 and four games in the U-17 FIFA World Cup in 2017. Vassilev shared the pitch with NYCFC defensive midfielder James Sands eight times with the U-17 U.S. National Team as well; four friendlies between 2017 and 2018 and four matches in the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2017. Vassilev later joined the U-18 camp and played alongside NYCFC’s Justin Haak in two games for the team.
Lastly, Inter Miami’s Rodolfo Pizarro has encountered NYCFC’s Jesús Medina and Sands at the international stage playing for Mexico. In 2017, Mexico beat Medina’s Paraguay 2-1 in a friendly in which Pizarro scored his team’s first goal. Pizarro recently faced Sands in the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup Final between Mexico and the USMNT. At the club level, Pizarro met NYCFC midfielder Moralez in four Liga MX matchups between 2015 and 2017 when Pizarro played for C.F. Monterrey and Moralez played Club León.
New York City FC's Record
New York City FC comes into Saturday’s fixture after drawing 2-2 on the road against Toronto FC. New York City FC has registered eight wins, four draws and five losses so far in the 2021 season. Medina and Valentín Castellanos have led the team this campaign, with Medina tallying seven goals and Castellanos registering four assists.
