Inter Miami CF narrowly fell to Orlando City SC 1-0 on Saturday night at Exploria Stadium. The team, however, was cheered on by more than 300 traveling supporters who stuck through a long weather delay.
Lineup Notes
Inter Miami opened the match with a few fresh faces returning to the starting XI after the team’s road draw with FC Dallas. Drake Callender started in between the pipes; Damion Lowe, Aimé Mabika, and Chris McVey formed a back three in defense with DeAndre Yedlin and Robert Taylor just ahead of them as wingbacks; captain Gregore and Jean Mota lined up at the center of midfield; Indiana Vassilev and Bryce Duke tucked in just behind striker Leonardo Campana in attack.
Mabika, Duke and Campana returned to the starting XI, while Gregore also returned following the completion of his yellow-card accumulation suspension. Goalkeeper Nick Marsman, meanwhile, returns to a matchday squad for the first time since the road match against the New England Revolution on April 30, and forward Shaan Hundal made his debut in a First Team matchday squad after being signed on a short-term loan agreement from Inter Miami CF II.
Match Action
The match officially got underway after a lengthy weather delay of over two hours. Through the first half, Inter Miami was the more threatening side, consistently probing in the final third and entering Orlando’s box.
In the seventh minute, Vassilev weaved between two defenders, eventually beating them in the box and firing a powerful shot from a tight angle at the near post, but Pedro Gallese saved the attempt.
Inter Miami’s next best chance of the half came in the 20th minute, when Taylor beat a defender to a loose ball on the left wing and delivered a cross into Campana in front of goal, who met the ball’s flight and struck a header that went just wide of the near post.
The match entered the halftime break scoreless, but it was Inter Miami with a lead of six to three in shots and the slim majority of possession, while also preventing Orlando from registering any shots on target.
A slower second half late into the night saw both sides create a handful of opportunities, but it was Orlando that would eventually take the points after a cross into the box came off of Lowe and found the back of the net in stoppage time to give Orlando a 1-0 win.
Post-Match Reaction
"I think about our supporters that drove up tonight from Miami. It was incredible the way they supported us, they stayed with us right til the end...In terms of the players and supporters it was a brilliantly contested derby," said head coach Phil Neville. "I feel gutted for the players because they put in so much...We'll just lick our wounds and go back to DRV PNK Stadium for a big game on Wednesday."
Next Match
Inter Miami will continue a busy run of games next week when it hosts the Philadelphia Union at 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday, July 13 at DRV PNK Stadium.
Individual match tickets for each remaining regular season home match on the Inter Miami CF schedule are available by visiting https://www.intermiamicf.com/tickets/single. Fans can also call 305-428-0611 to learn more.
Stats
Possession:
ORL - 55%
MIA - 45%
Shots:
ORL - 8
MIA - 10
Saves:
ORL - 1
MIA - 1
Corners:
ORL - 2
MIA - 6
Fouls:
ORL - 12
MIA - 19
