Inter Miami Player Ratings: 2-0 Win vs. New York Red Bulls
Lionel Messi produced his latest magical moment while Kamal Miller, Tomas Aviles, and Drake Callender all performed well at the back to deliver the shutout win
No Lionel Messi in the starting lineup, no problem.
Inter Miami resumed play in the MLS regular season by continuing its recent winning ways via a 2-0 road victory vs. the New York Red Bulls this past weekend. The shutout triumph moved the in-form South Florida side out of the basement in the Eastern Conference, and came despite both Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets beginning the match on the bench.
With the two stars serving as substitutes, role players like Tomas Aviles, Kamal Miller, and Diego Gomez all stepped up to help deliver Inter Miami’s first three league points since May. Messi, of course, also chipped in with his latest dazzling goal.
INTER MIAMI PLAYER RATINGS
Drake Callender (7.5) — Delivered when called upon, especially on the vital kick-save on Tom Barlow in the second half when the game was still 1-0.
Robert Taylor (6.5) — Played out of position again, but still reliable and steady with his defensive responsibilities. He hit some nice forward passes down the flank.
Tomas Aviles (7) — A sturdy shift that saw him make some good tackles and interventions while also spraying some nice line-breaking low balls.
Kamal Miller (7.5) — Led the back line both with his defensive play and verbal instructions as the de facto sweeper, continuing to make the case that he is deserving of a contract renewal.
Noah Allen (6.5) — Sent in the accurate cross that helped produce the game-winning goal in addition to faring better defensively in an unnatural centerback position.
Jordi Alba (7) — Impressively acrobatic in the build-up to Messi’s late insurance goal, and solid throughout on both sides of the ball.
Diego Gomez (6.5) — Pulled off a heck of a turn-and-finish on the winner and finished the game strongly, but his first half was still a bit sloppy and uneven.
Dixon Arroyo (7.5) — Continued to fulfill his defensive midfield role soundly, moving the ball quickly when in possession and blanketing the back line out of it.
David Ruiz (4.5) — The one starter who had a rough outing, as he struggled and took too long with his decision-making with the ball in addition to some occasional poor marking.
Facundo Farias (6) — Looked the most threatening attacker in the first half with his good turns and dribbling runs before becoming more of a passenger after halftime.
Leonardo Campana (6) — His hold-up play was very good and he chipped in defensively, though he was not much of a scoring threat in the 18-yard box.
Lionel Messi (7) — How on earth he picked out that late pass is a new Wonder of the World, but it helped him put the game away with his first MLS goal in a substitute appearance that would have otherwise just been okay.
Sergio Busquets (6.5) — Wrestled some control back in Inter Miami’s favor after entering, giving the team some needed composure on the ball in the face of the Red Bulls’ press.
DeAndre Yedlin (6.5) — Defensively strong in his 30-minute cameo, breaking things up to help ensure the victory and clean sheet.
Benjamin Cremaschi (6.5) — Unselfishly passed back to Messi when he could have easily shot, and was once again active during his brief shift.
Gerardo Martino (7.5) — Rested some key players that needed a break while still fielding a team that competed well and looked better in the 5-3-2 formation. He also read the game well, making subs that helped take the sting out of the Red Bulls’ attack.