Inter Miami Player Ratings: 4-1 Win vs. Philadelphia Union
Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, and Sergii Kryvtsov were among the standout players as the South Florida side overwhelmed its overmatched foe
The Philadelphia Union entered Tuesday night with just one defeat in their last 21 home games, but you may have been hard-pressed to guess that judging by how easily visiting Inter Miami dismantled them.
Inter Miami advanced to the Leagues Cup Final after posting a convincing 4-1 road victory over the Union. The semifinals rout was the latest lopsided triumph for a streaking South Florida side that now looks like a powerhouse thanks in part to the contributions of Lionel Messi.
It was not just the red-hot Messi who impressed for Inter Miami in the midweek bout, however. Sergii Kryvtsov had arguably his best showing since joining La Rosanegra, Sergio Busquets helped boss the midfield, and Drake Callender was once again his stellar self in goal as the Herons made light work of the outmatched Union.
INTER MIAMI PLAYER RATINGS
Drake Callender (8) — Made a big save to keep the team in front in the first half, delivered a highlight-reel parry in the second, and was strong coming off his line on all but one occasion.
DeAndre Yedlin (7.5) —Hit a sublime assist into space late on to erase any doubt of what the result would be, and largely bossed his flank defensively.
Sergii Kryvtsov (8.5) — Set the tone with his line-breaking assist on the early opener, made another quality pass in the lead-up to the second goal, and was strong at the back. His best performance to date.
Kamal Miller (8) — Another solid shift on both sides of the ball, especially at the back given that next to nothing got passed him.
Jordi Alba (7.5) — Took his goal exceptionally well and was good defensively, though he was not the type of constant attacking threat that we have seen in recent games.
Benjamin Cremaschi (6.5) — Covered lots of ground and progressed the ball forward well at times with some nice turns and flicks.
Sergio Busquets (8) — Might have produced his best defensive display in an Inter Miami shirt, as he constantly made interventions while also passing with his usual sniper-like precision.
Dixon Arroyo (5.5) — Lacked a bit of sharpness from the onset, though defensively he held up for the most part.
Robert Taylor (5.5) — Tracked back to win the ball with impressive determination before hitting the nice assist on Alba’s tally, but struggled with his decision-making and was largely quiet.
Josef Martinez (6.5) — This is more the type of striker that the team could use, as he was lethal on his third-minute opener in addition to linking up well with Messi and others.
Lionel Messi (7.5) — The goal from distance was a thing of beauty, and he was once again the attacking catalyst without being overly influential or dominant.
Diego Gomez (6.5) — Looked comfortable again in his substitute role, actively participating on both sides of the ball.
Leonardo Campana (6) — Brought fresh legs and some good play with his back to goal during the half-hour he was on the field.
David Ruiz (7) — Relieved some pressure by providing a well-taken finish on an angled shot late, and was involved defensively during his second-half shift.
Christopher McVey (N/A) — Entered in the final minutes to create a back five that closed out the game.
Noah Allen (N/A) — Limited again to a substitute cameo in the final stages.
Gerardo Martino (8.5) — His team made light work of a talented foe with a three-goal first half, which all but put the game away early. There were struggles at the start of the second stanza when the Union pressed, but Inter Miami maneuvered and cruised.