Three Observations from Inter Miami’s Draw Against The Chicago Fire

Inter Miami kicked off their 2022 season with a 0-0 draw against the Xherdan Shaquri lead Chicago Fire.

Donned in their “Heartbeat” pink kits, Phil Neville’s men came into this game looking to turn a new leaf after their awful 2021 campaign. 

With nine debuts in starting eleven, Saturday night’s match wasn’t pleasing to the eye. But, there were plenty of positives to build upon for the Herons.

2nd Half Resurgence

2022 Inter Miami is, essentially, an expansion club. 

The sheer amount of outgoing and incoming players would make it difficult for any team to play a consistent style of play for ninety minutes.  For Inter Miami, that much was evident in the first half.

The team struggled to play out of the back and looked nervous as Chicago pressed high. At one point, the Fire had 70% of possession while Miami was pinned in their own half of the field.

Leonardo Campana had two good chances during the first 45’ but, the 21-year-old couldn’t get them on target.

In the second half, however, Miami started to look a bit more lively. The substitutions of Ariel Lassiter and Robert Taylor changed the complexion of the match. 

Robert Taylor and Ariel Lassiter are about to come in for Leo Campana and Mo Adams. #InterMiamiCF pic.twitter.com/PkPbW02kJJ

— Alex Windley (@aaw_1998) February 27, 2022

Once those changes were made, the Herons began to attack with pace, drive and managed to put Chicago on their back foot. Lassiter had several excellent chances to give Miami the win, but Chicago’s defense held up.

Equally as impressive, Finland international Taylor impressed in his 24-minute cameo. The 27-year-old showed his quickness, dribbling ability, and knack for finding pockets of space.

Neville mentioned in his post-match conference that last year, Miami would’ve “lost that game.” It’s a testament to the offseason work the Herons have done that they were able to fight till the end.

Need For Speed

There were numerous moments during the game where Miami needed more speed in behind.

In pre-season, Neville’s go-to strike partnership up top would be Campana and Gonzalo Higuain. While at times, the relationship between the duo worked well, neither striker is particularly quick.

Once Campana was subbed off in the 66th minute, the game started to open up a bit more with the inclusion of Lassiter and Taylor.

The 3-5-2 formation can work well when a team has runners in behind. When Lassiter came on, his speed and aptitude for running at defenders gave Higuain the perfect outlet. Taylor, on the other hand, showed that he has the potential to be a real playmaker once he gets up to fitness.

That begs the question: will either Taylor or Lassiter start when Miami takes on Austin FC later this week? 

If the second half of Saturday’s game was any indication, the answer should be: yes. 

Future is Bright

Last but not least, Saturday night’s match marked the first team debut of 17-year-old Noah Allen. Allen held his own against a tricky Chicago Fire team and seemed the least nervous out of anyone on the pitch.

He put in a solid shift and managed to find himself in decent scoring positions. Allen ended the night with two interceptions, four recoveries, and two clearances.

Noah Allen discusses the role that @InterMiamiAcad has played in his soccer career. pic.twitter.com/9d1s9uJ97k

— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) February 27, 2022

With Neville confirming that Inter Miami will be able to call up MLS Next Pro players for a certain amount of games this season, expect Noah Allen to get meaningful playing time with the first team.