Analyzing Inter Miami: Gonzalo Higuain dominates, Rodolfo Pizarro impresses, and more
Three takeaways from Inter Miami's historic 5-1 thrashing of FC Cincinnati
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Julian Carranza wasted no time. After scoring his long-awaited first goal of the year on Saturday, he immediately turned to point at Gonzalo Higuain rather than bask in the glory of the clinical finish.
Carranza’s reaction was understandable, especially after the masterclass performance that Higuain put forth.
Inter Miami made history this past weekend by recording the biggest win in franchise history, and it was Higuain who stole the show in the 5-1 victory over FC Cincinnati with a Man of the Match-type outing. The star striker scored the the game-winner and delivered two direct assists (three helpers overall if you include MLS’s tallying of secondary assists) to remind everyone once again that he still oozes quality.
Granted, Inter Miami was playing an FC Cincinnati side that is porous defensively and that was already eliminated from playoff contention, but Higuain still impressed all the same with his tremendous and difference-making contributions.
“When Gonzalo plays well, the team plays well,” said Inter Miami head coach Phil Neville.
That sentence while short packs a whole lot of meaning because of how much truth there is in it. Rare have been the times when Inter Miami has played well this year without Higuain looking the part, and last Saturday’s lopsided triumph was no exception.
The Argentine and Inter Miami had a number of opportunities in the first half to take a commanding lead, but they failed to capitalize on them. Higuain himself appeared a bit anxious and eager, attempting to force things a bit too much rather than let plays come to him a bit more naturally. The end result was a 1-1 opening stanza in which FC Cincinnati created its share of chances and was very much in the game.
Things changed after halftime.
Higuain scored what proved to be the decisive goal with aplomb in the 53rd minute by nodding home a cross from his brother Federico with aplomb. The clinical header sent the younger sibling into a fiery celebration that turned into a tender one when he raced over to the side of the field to embrace the wife and daughter that mean the world to him.
His mind more at ease and confidence raised, Higuain dominated from there. He began dropping into deeper areas after his brother was subbed off the field in the 66th minute, and started picking out perfectly-weighted passes to teammates that led to goals like it was nothing.
He hit an exquisite through ball to Lewis Morgan to make it 4-1 in the 74th minute. The center forward found Morgan for another finish with a delightful ball seven minutes later before the goal was called back for an earlier offside.
No matter. Higuain assisted on Carranza’s goal four minutes later, again sending in a quality pass that allowed the substitute to keep his stride and focus on just finishing.
“I thought he was world class,” said Neville of Higuain.
Inter Miami is under no illusions about the steep challenge the team faces in order to make the playoffs. Winning out during the final three games is a must, but chances of that happening will improve significantly if Higuain can repeat this type of showing.
Pizarro enjoys stellar display in return to starting lineup
If Higuain was the best player on the field, he beat out Rodolfo Pizarro for that honor by a smidge.
Pizarro enjoyed a fine outing for Inter Miami and possibly his best of the season since scoring twice vs. Toronto FC back in August, dishing out two direct assists in the victory. He first set up Federico Higuain’s opener by just getting to the ball before it crossed the end line and whipping in a precise cross, and also fed Indiana Vassilev for the 3-1 mark. That is to say nothing of how he magically helped set up the final tally (in the previous tweet), for which MLS credited him with a secondary assist.
More than just creating for others in his first start in three games and unlike in a number of his other showings this year, Pizarro delivered a very positive performance in which he was involved plenty. The Mexican finished with the most touches of any Inter Miami attacker in the match, driving the ball forward with regularity and seeing a lot of the moves he attempted come off.
“A lot of people will take plaudits tonight, but I thought Pizarro was outstanding,” said Neville. “… A lot of brilliant performances, but I thought Pizarro was the pick of the bunch in terms of his quality (and) the freedom with which he played.”
Pizarro’s consistency and chemistry with Gonzalo Higuain have not been great this season, but getting the 27-year-old Designated Player to repeat this type of performance level will be the goal for what remains of the playoff push. After all, Pizarro just showed everyone that when he is at his best he makes Inter Miami that much better.
Makoun, Mabika provide bright glimpse of a possible future
Christian Makoun and Aime Mabika had never played together in an MLS game prior to this affair, but that did not stop them from turning in an overall solid shift together that may have just provided a promising glimpse into the future.
A lot of the focus after a blowout like naturally gears towards the attack, but one of the biggest questions heading into the game was about the defense given the lack of options available. Mabika was called in under the MLS Extreme Hardship rule, and he combined with Makoun to form a sturdy centerback tandem that might just be the one that Inter Miami turns to in 2022 when financial sanctions are imposed on the team.
Making matters even more impressive was that they did not train together in the two days leading up to the match to better understand one another and get a feel for their movements and styles of play. Central defenders need repetition and time to really establish a deep familiarity, but you would have been hard-pressed to guess that this was Mabika and Makoun’s first time as the central pairing in the back line.
Mabika was especially good in the second MLS appearance of his rookie season, defending well in tight and open spaces while also showing off the ability to hit line-splitting passes that initiated attacking sequences. It was not a perfect showing from the duo — as evidenced by Makoun’s costly ball-watching on the first-half equalizer — but it was an encouraging outing from two players who just might be Inter Miami’s starting centerbacks on a regular basis in the not-too-distant future.