As they search for consistent sources of offense beyond just Lionel Messi, Inter Miami is preparing to host the New York Red Bulls on Saturday night in Miami, Fla.
Messi leads Inter Miami (3-1-2, 11 points) into its second match at its new home, Nu Stadium, after dueling Austin to a 2-2 stalemate last Saturday. The Red Bulls (3-2-1, 10 points) are coming off a 4-2 win at home against FC Cincinnati.
Inter Miami is seeking its fourth consecutive win in the head-to-head series, having won the most recent meeting last July, 5-1, in New York.
The Herons needed Luis Suarez’s goal in the 82nd minute last week after he entered the game off the bench in the second half and helped them salvage a point. Messi had the team’s other goal.
Miami’s major offseason signee, former Monterrey star German Berterame, has yet to score, and neither has Tadeo Allende, who scored nine goals in the MLS playoffs last season.
“German is a hard worker, a true team player, and arrived here humble, eager to earn his spot,” Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano said. “It’s on me to find a way to make him feel comfortable and put him in the best situations to succeed. I have complete faith he will break through.”
The Red Bulls haven’t had trouble scoring thanks to striker Julian Hall, who has tallied five of the team’s nine goals so far, including the first of their four against Cincinnati. But stopping other teams from scoring has been a bigger issue. The Red Bulls’ 13 goals allowed are the fourth-most in the Eastern Conference.
In their most recent win, New York found the scoring balance its opponent Saturday has been looking for as Emil Forsberg and Mohammed Sofo also found the back of the net. It was a needed bounce-back win for the Red Bulls, who suffered an embarrassing 6-1 loss to Charlotte the prior week.
“You know, the side that creates chances and finds different ways to get into the box and be really dangerous,” Red Bulls coach Michael Bradley said. “We felt really good about a lot of things over the first five games, but our pure ability to finish off a few more plays, our ability to be a little sharper in the final moment, that’s what we’re after.”
–Field Level Media
