MLS

On the pitch and in the owners' suite, Inter Miami makes changes

FORT LAUDERDALE – Miami! From Homestead and Key Largo in the south, north beyond Biscayne Bay to South Beach, the Design District, up through Hollywood, and into Fort Lauderdale – keep going north to Pompano, Deerfield, Delray, and Boynton – the beach towns flanking Boca Raton are iconic and storied.  And so it is that Fort Lauderdale, nestled in between Miami and Boca has become the center of South Florida’s soccer world. It is, at least for now, home to Major League Soccer’s Inter Miami CF. As the South Florida Miami-Dade metroplex has grown over the years, so too has the greater community collectively joined under the umbrella of what is unequivocally one of the world’s most incredible cities, Miami!

It is here that Iconic footballer David Beckham placed his club, right in the middle, in Fort Lauderdale. Make no mistake, Beckham, who is also co-owner of British fourth division League Two’s Salford City FC, isn’t the only notable figure in the owners' suite. Inter Miami CF boasted no fewer than four billionaire owners when the club launched operations. Two came from the Mas family, owners of MasTec. The other two were SoftBank’s iconic CEO, Masayoshi Son and his very close SoftBank chief executive colleague, Marcelo Claure.

Pay particular attention to the tense: were. That’s important because just yesterday it was reported that the Mas brothers are seeking to buy out their SoftBank co-owners in a deal that may value the franchise at $600-650 million. Sportico’s most recent valuation of Inter Miami CF is $525 million, so the Mas brothers, reportedly offering a mix of cash and financing backed by Goldman Sachs, appear willing to pay a premium to secure Son and Claure’s reported 48% stake in the club. It has also been reported that they may seek to allow a small number of limited partners to join the group in the future. Whether that happens remains to be seen.

The Mas brothers are considered more than capable of delivering on a final stadium project that is currently known as Miami Freedom Park, so it’s possible – if not likely – that Inter Miami CF’s time in Fort Lauderdale is limited. Don’t let that deter from the experience though.

Their current home is DRV PNK Stadium. It sits just across the road from an executive airport loaded with private jets and other aircraft. It’s a short drive from the major commercial airport and international cruise terminal. The seats are pink and white like the flamingos and white sands Florida is known for. The digs may be temporary, but they’re a beautiful sight. The pitch itself may be the healthiest in the league. South Florida’s humidity and often daily rain showers make the pitch perfect in ways other field maintenance crews can only dream of. It’s truly world class.

Forget politics, forget ownership, American Presswire officially launched coverage of Inter Miami CF because the atmosphere and facilities are amazing, the club plays exciting soccer/futbol, and the entire staff, from the executives to the interns, are so incredibly professional – everything about Inter Miami CF is awesome! One more reason for initiation of coverage: during our coverage of the CONCACAF Gold Cup, the prelim stage was held at DRV PNK, and we were present. It was there, on the pitch, that we met one of South Florida’s finest sports photographers, Chris Arjoon. Not only are his images iconic works of art, but his deep knowledge of the sport, and his appreciation of every aspect of the operation, make him a priceless resource. His social media handles are included below. Follow him. Now let’s talk futbol/soccer!

Inter Miami currently sits below the redline in tenth place with 23 points. Atlanta, Columbus, and DC United all have 27 points. With 6 wins, 5 draws and 9 losses, along with an August record that includes 3 wins, 2 draws and a loss. The club may indeed be showing the signs of life needed to make a successful stretch run toward the postseason. Imagine that. After a somewhat rocky start, Inter Miami could be a dark horse contender. September will be a real test, but if the club can match their August outcomes, they may just find themselves entering an extremely heavy final stretch from a position just above the line. Wouldn’t that be something, Inter Miami in the playoffs.

After losing 0-2 on the road at NYCFC dead in the middle of August, something changed. The club outscored Chicago to post a 3-2 victory just four days after their road loss. Coach Phil Neville said the will and character of the club had “finally changed.” Some wondered if perhaps his seat was warming ever so slightly based on wat was widely perceived to be underperformance and unfulfilled expectations. Whether there was any truth to that or not, the club responded brilliantly. Rodolfo Pizarro, Victor Ulloa, and Gonzalo Higuain banded together, seized control of the match, and delivered the go-ahead goal that sealed the win. A united front was born on August 18.

Just three days later, the club seized victory again. This time, the opponent was Toronto FC. Pizarro was again the point man of a scoring attack that was unstoppable. Defeating Toronto 3-1 and doing so just three days after a gritty 3-2 victory, Inter Miami was backing up its words. Things did indeed appear to have finally changed. “We knew there was a lot riding on it,” Neville said. He continued by pointing out the fact that the club notched back-to-back wins at a critical time.

Then came the MLS All-Star break. Often a momentum sapper, the great concern was that Inter Miami would return flat, especially after Pizarro’s incredibly emotional trip west as Inter Miami’s first MLS All-Star. Not only is he Inter Miami’s first all-star ever, but he also came from the Liga MX side and had plenty of all-star praise and achievement there. Switching sides is always emotional.

Only six days after their last match, and with an all-star weekend inserted in between, Inter Miami returned to the pitch yesterday on the road in Orlando. The club earned a draw, and while they didn’t win, they also didn’t lose. For what it’s worth, it was a scoreless draw, and its possible the men up front needed rest. It’s also possible that Pizarro’s need for rest altered the chemistry on the pitch. Pizarro’s yellow card in the second half may have reduced his aggressive style, but it may also have been the result of general fatigue. Pizarro was subbed out only a few minutes after drawing the card.

Despite not winning, Neville was satisfied. About the outcome, he said, “we’re pleased.” After the brutal late August schedule Inter Miami has had, who wouldn’t be pleased with a road point and a draw? However, September isn’t going to be any easier. In fact, it’s probably more difficult. October looks to be even more difficult. Indeed, there’s work to be done to finish with above the redline.

Inter Miami’s next match is on Saturday, September 4, on the road in Cincinnati. The club returns home to DRV PNK to host Columbus on Saturday, September 11. Both matches are currently scheduled for 8pm EST kickoffs. Both matches are winnable and starting September with six points would definitely confirm that things really have changed for the best.

Ahsan Awan has been covering sports for over a decade, including professional soccer and MLS since 2014. All images taken by Chris Arjoon for American Presswire and ©2021 Chris Arjoon for American Presswire subject to unlimited use under license unless otherwise noted. Ahsan Awan can be found on Twitter as @quackarazzi and on Instagram as @quackarazzi. Chris Arjoon can be found on Twitter as @picsbrit and on Instagram as @brit__pics.

by Ahsan Awan

Earthquakes Cross The Line

SAN JOSE – The Earthquakes have finally crossed the line. Sitting in seventh place with 26 points, head coach Matías Almeyda appears to finally be settling in as more than just a coach. He is now becoming an effective manager. Adjustments to the roster, rotations in the lineup, and a new twist of potentially unorthodox assignments on the pitch are showing the signs of brilliant potential the club invested in by hiring him. While the MLS Is Back bubble tournament of 2020 seemed to prove his ability to succeed in the league, the 2021 season showed mixed results. The month of June was bad. A scoreless tie in Austin, a brutal defeat in Orlando and an ugly loss at home to the LA Galaxy – no one was happy. Then came July.

The club acquired Brazilian center back Nathan from Swiss Super League side FC Zurich. They parted ways with general manager Jesse Fioranelli. Change was in the air. Over five matches in July, the Earthquakes never lost. Four ties in a row paved the way to a road win over division rival Seattle on the road. Suddenly things began to look different.

Entering August, the Earthquakes traded defender Florian Jungwirth to the Vancouver Whitecaps. The club then acquired forward Jeremy Ebobisse from the Portland Timbers. While defender Jackson Yueill was away for some time with the United States Men’s National Team on the Gold Cup tournament tour, and with forward Cade Cowell called up briefly for national team duty, it seemed the Earthquakes would again suffer critical roster depletion during an important stretch. However, for the second month in a row, the Earthquakes haven’t lost. While July featured four ties and one win, August featured three ties and two wins. That 100% increase in the win column is highlighted by a win over LAFC at home and win over the LA Galaxy on the road.

For those paying attention, that’s a 10-match unbeaten streak through the MLS All-Star break. The club must now return its attention to the pitch as a busy month begins. September features six matches, four of which are at home. The two on the road are both in Texas, versus FC Dallas on September 11, and versus Austin FC on September 18. The tail-end rematches with LAFC and Seattle, both at home, will complete the most challenging test yet for this evolving club.

Almeyda is aware of the transformation. “We have been improving for a while now,” he said, and while he and the entire club probably feel they should have won more matches that they ended with ties, Almeyda is clear that he really likes how the team is playing. “We recovered our identity,” he continued. Once on the outside looking in, the Earthquakes now sit in a playoff-eligible position that, if the season were to end today, would match them up against an opponent they can not only beat, but that they have proven they can compete with, if not defeat, on the road. Almeyda knows this, the players believe this, and the fans now feel this.

The Earthquakes compete at home on Saturday, September 4 versus the Colorado Rapids. That match kicks off at 7:00pm PST.

Ahsan Awan has been covering sports for over a decade, including professional soccer and the San Jose Earthquakes since 2014. All images taken by Ahsan Awan for American Presswire and ©2021 American Presswire. He can be found on Twitter as @quackarazzi and on Instagram as @quackarazzi.

by Ahsan Awan

Patience, Persistence, Keys to Quakes' Season

SAN JOSE – What goes up comes down. Nothing could be more true for the San Jose Earthquakes during the month of May. Two and a half weeks ago, they were on top of the western conference standings with 9 points. They were momentarily alone, and then in a tie for first place. Now, 17 days and 3 straight losses later, they cling to the seven spot and could be pushed down one more, and below the playoff qualifying line, if Austin prevails over Nashville tonight.

At the other end of the spectrum, the Seattle Sounders, who were responsible for the Earthquakes' first loss, and who then tied them with 9 points on May 6, are now alone in first place with 17 points after a 1-1 tie versus Atlanta today.

For San Jose, the next three matches are on the road. The first match is the LA leg of the Cali Clasico versus the LA Galaxy on May 29. After a much needed pause to regroup, they travel to Austin to compete on June 19. Then they head to Orlando for a match just three days later on June 22. Then they return home to play the LA Galaxy once again, this time at home at PayPal Park. However, by the time they get home, they very well could be licking the wounds of a 6-match skid, and would surely be flirting with last place in the west.

After a cobweb-wiping wake up on the road in Houston, the Quakes turned red hot and won three straight while outscoring their opponents 9-3. That last win came courtesy of MLS's all-time greatest player, Chris Wondolowski, coming off the bench cold for the last 10 minutes of regulation play and finding just the right spot to score two goals in a six minute span. Wondo is the Quakes' most valuable player, their moral leader and their captain. He is priceless.

Since that performance, the Quakes have lost three straight and have been outscored by their opponents 6-1! That's right, the once red hot Earthquakes have only scored one goal in the past three matches. What is going on? Is it talent? Is it fatigue? Is it coaching, management or ownership? Is it just bad luck? To what should the 180 degree reversal of outcomes be attributed?

"When we won, we played fast and hard, we were aggressive and over the top. We played north-south and we made shots on goal," said one north end fan who asked not to be named. "This tiqui-taca does not work," he continued, "our talent doesn't do short passing and possession well. They punch you in the mouth and find the back of the net." Tiqui-taca refers to the classic Spanish style that involves short passing, possession, and precision channel work on the pitch.

Versus Sporting Kansas City last night, Cade Cowell was quiet, Andy Rios was ineffective, and Espinoza worked under caution after an early yellow card. Chofis was hot early, and set the tone with an early goal to send the Quakes up 1-0 (4'), but it was all Sporting KC from there. While the equalizer came soon thereafter (15'), Kansas City didn't go ahead until the second half (60' and 75').

According to another observer, the Quakes looked tired. There were quite a few hands on hips during official pauses. Perhaps it really is that simple and the team was just tired last night, but that may not explain three losses in a row, and it certainly won't explain another three. The Quakes need to turn this around.

What about the GOAT, the moral leader and captain; where's Wondo? He came on late, once again, in an apparent goal-chasing move that left a seemingly ineffective Andy Rios in while taking midfielder Tommy Thompson out. Thompson's exit clearly weakened the Quakes' transition defense, and absolutely contributed to KC's ability to move down field relatively unchallenged.

That raises the question, is there something amiss with coaching? Another north end fan, who also wished to remain nameless, said "(Keeper) JT (Marcinkowski) came off his line again and it cost him." Surely if there's an issue with this, it can be corrected. San Jose has good keepers, and has a solid position coach working the goal.

The general lineup seems to more of a sore spot with many though. Exiting PayPal Park after the match, many fans could be heard asking why Chris Wondolowski and Shea Salinas weren't starting. People asked why Brazilian international defender Judson wasn't in the lineup. Some suggested the short week and three match stretch was to blame, but others perhaps fairly pointed out that these are professional athletes in the best shape and condition of their lives. They can handle it.

It is never easy to lose. It is never easy to sink in the standings. It is never easy to fall below the line. However, fans may be better off demonstrating some patience. The season is young. There's a long way to go. While point deficits are difficult to make up, the opportunity to remain above the line is not at all lost. If the Quakes can split the record on the road by going even 1-1-1, they'' return home with 13 points and enter the second leg of the Clasico with a chance to finish exactly where Seattle is right now.

They say patience is a virtue, and while Quakes fans have been waiting a long time for a solid winning season, let alone a new star on the kit, it's too early to let the frustration and concern over a few losses derail the focus and disrupt the mission. Remember, Earthquakes never say die. When in doubt, look to the GOAT, look to the moral leader; what would Wondo do? Odds favor him doing what he has always done: practice well, be ready, and make a difference if and when the opportunity presents itself. Indeed, patience and persistence will keep the roller coaster on the rails. There's a long season ahead.

San Jose travels to Los Angeles to face the LA Galaxy on Saturday, May 29 at 4:00 PM Pacific, and returns home to face the Galaxy again on June 26 at 7:00 PM Pacific.

Ahsan Awan has been covering sports for over a decade, and has been covering professional soccer, and the San Jose Earthquakes, since 2014. All images taken by Ahsan Awan for American Presswire and ©2021 American Presswire. He can be found on Twitter as @quackarazzi and on Instagram as @quackarazzi.

by Ahsan Awan