Inter Miami Player Ratings: Gonzalez Pirez, Figal stellar in upset win over Revolution
The two Argentine centerbacks were the most impressive performers in the 1-0 road victory vs. the New England Revolution
Consolation prizes may not mean a whole lot in the grand scheme of things, but Inter Miami grabbed one anyway before heading into a winter of uncertainty.
Inter Miami posted a stunning result in the 2021 season finale on Sunday evening by going on the road and blanking the first-placed New England Revolution to the tune of 1-0. Blaise Matuidi provided the winner for the South Florida side, but it was an overall solid collective outing that gave the team the three points at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
Whether it was Leandro Gonzalez Pirez and Nicolas Figal leading the way with strong showings at the back or Rodolfo Pizarro turning in one of his better games of the year, Inter Miami got contributions from all parts of the field en route to ending the campaign in a more positive manner.
Here are the Inter Miami Player Ratings after the upset victory over the Revolution:
John McCarthy (6.5) — Made three saves, including two good ones, to post a notable clean sheet in his first start since July.
Lewis Morgan (6.5) — Engaged on both sides of the ball and helped set up the winner while also providing his usual type of energy after last week’s subpar shift.
Leandro Gonzalez Pirez (8) — A defensive brick wall, making three tackles, five interceptions, seven clearances, and one blocked shot that prevented an equalizer.
Nicolas Figal (8) — Displayed dogged determination to put out several fires while also being excellent at providing cover for others and with his overall positioning.
Christian Makoun (6) — Had a bit more trouble defensively and passed poorly, but his no-nonsense manner and team-high nine clearances were serviceable in the shutout.
Brek Shea (5.5) — Finished better than he started after delivering an overall poor first half in which he lost his cool on one play that should have resulted in a Revolution goal.
Indiana Vassilev (5.5) — Turned in a competent tactical shift that saw him start brightly before being forced to do more defensive work, finishing with just 22 touches.
Gregore (6.5) — Provided his usual grit and passed with extreme precision, but had some issues at times when chasing the Revolution’s quick attackers in transition.
Blaise Matuidi (7.5) — Netted the winner by superbly getting a deflected shot off on the half-turn, moved the ball accurately, and was decent defensively for the most part.
Rodolfo Pizarro (7.5) — Looked significantly more spirited, engaged, and confident serving as the attacking fulcrum in place of the absent Gonzalo Higuain, recording a team second-best 57 touches and getting credit for the assist on the winner.
Julian Carranza (5.5) — Was by and large good when playing with his back to goal, but never really threatened in the final third.
Kelvin Leerdam (6) — Came into the match to help see it out, and did just that by providing a couple of defense interventions during his 17 minutes on the field.
Robbie Robinson (5.5) — The substitute came on to provide a more vertical threat up top while struggling with some of his decision-making on promising counterattacks.
Jay Chapman (5.5) — Helped seal the three points by doing his part on both sides of the ball during an 11-minute cameo.
Phil Neville (7.5) — His team did not play great, but it was resolute defensively, disciplined tactically, and effective enough in the attack to pull out the significant upset victory in the season finale.