Philadelphia Union could embarrass Inter Miami’s porous defence tonight | OneFootball

According to interheron.com, Inter Miami’s best defensive player, Micael dos Santos Silva, will miss tonight’s match at Subaru Park with an ankle injury. Wingers Tadeo Allende and Mateo Silvetti are also sidelined, striker Germán Berterame is training but has not cleared the league’s concussion protocol, and Ricardo De Paul is suspended for yellow-card accumulation.

Kick-off is 6.30pm CDT in Philadelphia, almost three months after Las Garzas won a 6-4 shootout between the sides in Florida.

Since Lionel Messi’s arrival, the Herons have often traded defensive structure for attacking flair under interim coach Guillerko Hoyos, trusting the forwards to outscore opponents. Better sides have punished that approach with organised defending and quick transitions, most recently Nashville’s 4-1 defeat of Miami on Saturday.

Since the World Cup break the Herons are 3-3-1 and have conceded as many as they have scored, 14. They have been outscored 9-4 across their last three matches, all defeats.

Hoyos said they are working to tighten up at the back, while playing down the idea that defence is a major concern. He added that they must respond quickly and that a win would provide a lift.

Inter Miami are 11-3-5 for 38 points, second in the East and Supporters’ Shield to Nashville SC on 43. Philadelphia are 13th, yet have won five of seven since that previous loss and outscored opponents 13-9, with defeats to Cruz Azul and Santos Laguna in Leagues Cup play. The Union have also strung together four successive league wins, 10-5 on aggregate.

If Hoyos cannot find a sturdier plan, the Union could embarrass the defending MLS champions.

Source: interheron.com

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”