Inter Miami Player Ratings: Morgan, Pizarro, Leerdam the top performers vs. Atlanta United
The trio showed best in a mixed overall display in Inter Miami's 1-0 loss vs. Atlanta United
ATLANTA — Progress was made, but it was not enough to avoid a third straight defeat.
Inter Miami raised its level after a pair of ugly defeats, but was still unable to translate that into a much-needed road victory after finishing on the wrong end of a 1-0 affair with fellow playoff hopeful Atlanta United. The Herons reverted to being tougher and more organized defensively in the midweek meeting at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, but the attack continued to sputter about while getting shut out for the 11th time this year.
As a result, the individual performances were a mixed bag. Lewis Morgan, Rodolfo Pizarro, and Kelvin Leerdam all showed well for the South Florida side, but frontmen Gonzalo Higuain and Robbie Robinson were players who were not good enough on the night.
Here are the Inter Miami Player Ratings after the narrow defeat to Atlanta United:
Nick Marsman (5.5) — Distribution was on point, but his shot-blocking is coming into question after he spilled a ball in the first half that nearly led to another costly blunder.
Lewis Morgan (7.5) — Actively contributed on both sides while marauding up and down the right flank with his usual endless energy.
Leandro Gonzalez Pirez (6) — Was very involved defensively, but had some troubles marking Ezequiel Barco in addition to being a bit unlucky on the handball call.
Kelvin Leerdam (7.5) — Did everything asked of him as the sweeper in the five-man back line, covering for teammates when needed and holding his own tactically.
Christian Makoun (5.5) — Struggled across the board in the first half before shoring things up and faring better in the second.
Kieran Gibbs (6) — Projected forward well and played a great low cross that should have resulted in a goal, but had some defensive lapses that went unpunished.
Rodolfo Pizarro (7.5) — Might earn more looks in central midfield after a good shift that saw him move the ball forward well with passes and dribbles while also taking care of his defensive duties.
Jay Chapman (5.5) — Effective in linking the defense and attack as the deep-lying midfielder, but had issues covering ground and putting out fires.
Blaise Matuidi (5.5) — Got into the attacking penalty area more than we have seen while still not being overly influential on either side of the ball.
Gonzalo Higuain (4.5) — Hit some well-weighted passes in his playmaking role, but was too individualistic at times and dispossessed often.
Robbie Robinson (2.5) — Provided little as the No. 9, with his flubbed shot late in the first half when the game was 0-0 summing up a forgettable night for him.
Brek Shea (5) — Had only six touches in 19 minutes of play due to the team’s inability to keep the ball.
Julian Carranza (N/A) — Saw just eight minutes as a late substitute and did not see much of the ball.
Indiana Vassilev (N/A) — Also was largely uninvolved after enter proceedings towards the end.
Phil Neville (6) — The team was much improved and competed better, showing more defensive organization and toughness. The idea to use Pizarro as a No. 8 worked, too, but the attack continued to demonstrate that it cannot generate a whole lot.