Global Courant
Inter Miami, without its top star Lionel Messi, is losing 0-2 against the Houston Dynamo at its own DRV PNK stadium in the US Open Cup final.
Messi did not recover in time for the match and was left out of the squad, while Honduran David Ruiz awaits his opportunity on the substitute bench.
There was a lot of concern about the physical status of Messi, the unquestionable leader of the Florida team who was in doubt until the last minutes after suffering a relapse of a muscle injury last week. Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino finally decided to leave him out of the squad.
David Ruiz, who comes from scoring a goal on the visit to Orlando City by Major League Soccer (MLS) last weekend, will see the start of the match from the bench.
Messi scored eleven goals in thirteen games since his arrival at Inter Miami, but his body took its toll due to the great waste of energy in the last month and a half and forced him to stop last week in an MLS duel against Toronto . The Argentine coach waited for him until the end, aware that no one like ‘La Pulga’ can tip the balance in favor of his team.
THE ACTIONS OF THE PARTY
The Houston Dynamo has looked much better on the field, they have subdued Inter Miami and thus are ahead on the scoreboard.
In the 24th minute, Facundo Farías’ poor delivery of the ball, the Texan team recovered to mount a quick counterattack. Corey Baird gives the ball to Artur, who hits a powerful pass to the arrival of Griffin Dorsey on the right side and his shot goes over Drake Callender’s goal. A great goal.
Dynamo increased the advantage through a penalty that DeAndre Yedlin committed against Nelson Quiñones and Amine Bassi made no mistake from the eleven steps to make it 0-2 in the 33rd minute.
Panamanian Adalberto Carrasquilla forgave the third for the Houston team, after a good play by Bassi, who directed his team’s operations to the pink area.
THE STARTING ALIGNMENTS:
INTER MIAMI: 1. Drake Callender; 2. DeAndre Yedlin, 27. Serhiy Kryvtsov, 31. Kamal Miller, 32. Noah Allen, 5. Sergio Busquets, 30. Benjamín Cremaschi, 8. Diego Gómez, 11. Facundo Farías, 16. Robert Taylor and 9. Leo Campana.
Coach: Gerardo Martino.
HOUSTON DYNAMO: 13. Andrew Tarbell; 2. Franco Escobar, 28. Erik Sviatchenko, 31. Micael, 25. Griffin Dorsey; 20. Adalberto Carrasquilla, 16. Héctor Herrera, 6. Artur, 8. Amine Bassi, 21. Nelson Quiñones and 11. Corey Baird.
Coach: Ben Olsen.
REFEREE: Jon Freeman (USA).
STADIUM: DRV PNK Stadium (Fort Lauderdale).
TRANSMIT: TVC Channel 5.
