MLS Inter Miami CF

Breaking Lines: a Resolute Start to 2022

Published on February 28, 2022 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Inter Miami CF News Release


Inter Miami kicked off its 2022 campaign on Saturday, earning a clean sheet and a draw against the Chicago Fire at DRV PNK Stadium. The team showcased a new-look starting XI featuring nine players making their Inter Miami debuts, including an entirely rebuilt defensive line that is proving difficult to break down.

Consistent and Compact

Inter Miami's defensive unit built upon a preseason trend and held firm in the team's 2022 MLS opener. The unit helped stifle a Chicago attack featuring star Swiss international Xherdan Shaqiri en route to the clean sheet.

Each member of the back five played their part, beginning with Week 1 MLS Team of the Week honoree Damion Lowe who led the match with eight clearances and three interceptions. The wingback duo of DeAndre Yedlin and Academy graduate Noah Allen, meanwhile, combined for three tackles, three interceptions and three clearances. Yedlin also impressed by winning six of his eight duels, while Jairo Quinteros won a game-high three tackles and Chris McVey tied for a game-high three interceptions.

The midfield also chipped in to keep the team's shape compact, with the starting trio of Gregore, Jean Mota and Mo Adams taking three of the top four places on the team in possession recoveries. Mota led the team - and the match - winning possession nine times, while Gregore and Adams contributed by winning possession six times each.

Gregore in particular showed the energy that made him Inter Miami's 2021 MVP, involving himself in a team-high 17 duels.

Gonzalo Higuaín Shines as Creator

Inter Miami's No. 10 excelled in the system deployed by head coach Phil Neville on Saturday, consistently creating opportunities in attack as a playmaker. Most notably, Higuaín ended Saturday night with not just a team-high, but a league-high seven key passes against Chicago.

The Argentine's passing was a weapon for the hosts throughout the match as he completed 23 of his 28 passes, including 15 attempted in the final third. With those passes, he amassed an impressive 0.72 xA (expected assists), also a game-high.

One sequence in particular highlighted Higuaín's prowess as a creator, when just before the hour mark he hit two diagonal cutting passes into the box, creating two of the team's best chances of the night.

Fresh Legs Jolt Attack

Inter Miami made a pair of substitutions after the hour mark that helped bolster the team's attack, bringing on the duo of Ariel Lassiter and Robert Taylor.

In the first half, Inter Miami amassed five shots for a total of 0.6 xG (expected goals), and held just under 38% possession of the ball. In the second half, the hosts turned up the intensity in attack, playing faster in transition and taking 12 shots for a total of 0.93 xG, while also upping the team's possession of the ball to just over 44%.

While Taylor was instrumental to the team's efforts in progressing the ball forward rapidly after coming on, it was Lassiter who found himself at the point of the attack on a number of occasions. In just over 20 minutes of play, the Costa Rican ended up taking four shots, tied for the lead in the match, and finished second to Campana on Inter Miami with an xG total of 0.23.

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Major League Soccer Stories from February 28, 2022


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