3-0: Defensive mistakes from New York City and Miami sack Higuain

October 18, 2022 – 02:36 am

Miami (USA), October 17 (EFE) .- New York City moved into the second round of the MLS playoffs after beating Inter Miami on Monday with three goals that could have been more in the game, which meant goodbye to all active professional football of Gonzalo Higuaín.

Brazilians Gabriel Pereira and Héber and Argentine Maxi Moralez scored for the New Yorkers while Higuaín had the clearest chances for an Inter Miami that closed the best season of its short history.

For reigning MLS champions New York City, this is the sixth time they will play the conference semifinals of the eight seasons played since their debut in 2015.

Montreal will be New York City’s rival in the eastern semifinal which will be played next Sunday.

Inter Miami have recovered from the injury of Spaniard Alejandro Pozuelo with the hope of giving more creation to the team.

Pozuelo and Higuaín make a difference in Phil Neville’s team, but that can only be seen at specific times as the New York City defense knew how to stop their game.

He began to dominate the visiting team, with Taylor signing the first dangerous shot of the match. But as the minutes passed it turned the clash into a two-way duel.

In this vertical game dynamic, Thiago Martins headed the post in response to Taylor. And it was Higuaín who, on 22 minutes, put him in goal before the VAR canceled him for offside.

New York City began to feel more comfortable with the ball and was able to step on the opposing area frequently, while the approach did not bother an Inter Miami team who were trying to get out quickly and look for spaces.

This brings us to the clearest part of the first half, a very comical action as it miraculously does not become the first goal.

Callender randomly throws a simple ball which Héber has the task of exploiting to define above the goalkeeper, Mabika arrives on time and pushes him back with difficulty slamming him against the crossbar and, the same ball rejected, goes back against the wood in an attempt to move away McVey’s danger.

These were the best times for the locals, but they couldn’t realize their opportunities.

Inter Miami completely lost their presence on the pitch and tried to respond defensively with more improvisation than order.

Inter Miami closed the first half with another from Pipita, an action that brought the Argentine to the forefront and, after feints and cuts, he defined slightly wide with the left.

The tone of the match will not change in the second half with the locals dominating clearly and an Inter Miami whose only chance to score was thanks to the inspiration of Higuaín or Pozuelo.

The Argentine thus forced the goalkeeper Johnson to stretch over everything with a powerful shot that found the goal with little angle.

In the 63rd minute the first goal comes with a long and hard-fought ball from Uruguayan Santiago Rodríguez, who brings all the Inter Miami defenders with him and sees on his right the disposition of a completely alone Gabriel Pereira.

The Brazilian definitely defined the squad from the opposite post.

Just six minutes later Maxi Moralez signed the second for New York City.

He picked up the ball with a heel strike from Rodríguez, who scored his second assist of the night surrounded by messy Miami footballers and left him hand in hand with the goalkeeper to cross him low.

The last few minutes showed the frustration of some Inter Miami players who couldn’t play comfortably or find their best football. Pozuelo was one of these, reappeared from an injury and with no race pace.

The final push was given by Héber in another defensive nonsense from Miami, which with a back pass allowed the Brazilian to score alone against the keeper.

With the final whistle on the Citi Field lawn, there was a contrast of emotions: on the one hand, the New York City footballers’ party; and on the other the tears of Higuaín moved by his farewell

– Party sheet:

3. New York: Johnson; Tinnerholm, Thiago Martins, Chanot, Callens; Acevedo, Moralez (Andrade, min. 88); Gabriel Pereira (Parks, min. 79), Rodríguez (Pellegrini, min. 94), O’Toole; Heber.

0. Inter Miami: Callender; Yedin, Lowe (Gibbs, 72 minutes), Mabika (Sailor, 72 minutes), Mcvey; Gregory, Mother; Taylor (Duke, min. 80), Pozuelo, Lassiter (Vassilev, min. 58); Higuain.

Goals: Gabriel Pereira (min.63), Moralez (min.69) and Héber (min.92).

Referee: Rubiel Vázquez (USA). Acevedo (min. 77) was booked for the local team and Lassiter (min. 58), Lowe (min. 66) and Pozuelo (min. 90) for the guests.

Incidents: Match corresponding to the first round of the MLS Playoffs, played at Citi Field in New York. EFE

ngd / dvp / amd

(photo)

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