2020 MLS Regular Season – Week 11
Orlando City SC vs. Inter Miami CF
Exploria Stadium – Orlando
September 12 – 7:30 PM ET
STREAMING: MLS LIVE on ESPN+ in US; MLS LIVE on DAZN in Canada
LOCAL TV: CBS4 (Miami), UniMas Miami, FOX 35 Plus
After splitting a pair of one-goal victories, Orlando City SC and Inter Miami look to break the tie and earn bragging rights in this first-year rivalry when the Florida foes square off at Exploria Stadium Saturday night.
Orlando City SC (4W-2L-4D) are coming off a second consecutive 1-1 draw, sharing the points with Atlanta United to extend an unbeaten streak to four games. Their last loss came to Inter Miami CF (2W-6L-2D), which celebrated a 2-1 win over Atlanta at home Wednesday night.
The Lions won the first-ever meeting, a dramatic stoppage-time 2-1 victory to open the MLS is Back Tournament. Inter Miami earned revenge in its long-awaited home opener with Julian Carranza scoring a brace in a 3-2 win, the expansion side's first in MLS.
Orlando City SC
Orlando were seconds from a second straight win over Atlanta, and arguably turning the tables in their favor in a rivalry that had been decidedly on-sided until this year. But Adam Jahn canceled out Benji Michel's first-half goal with the stoppage-time equalizer and the Lions left Mercedes-Benz Stadium with their first-ever point, but disappointed they didn't nab two more.
“They’re mature enough right now to absorb the pain they have in the locker room,” Oscar Pareja said after the game. “We just have to let it go. It’s normal. I don’t have to say thing to soften their pain. It’s normal. This is football. We have to put the games away when we can. It’s an ongoing process but the players know deep inside that they had a great game today. But we’re not there yet and we have to keep working. Nothing we can say is going to soften their pain today, but just keep working."
- Updated team roster
- Injury Report:
- OUT: Dom Dwyer (F) - knee injury
- OUT: Joao Moutinho (D) - groin injury
- Suspended: None
- Suspended after next caution: Joao Moutinho (D)
- International duty: None
Inter Miami CF
Inter Miami celebrated win No. 2 of their expansion season Wednesday night, defeating Atlanta United 2-1 at Inter Miami CF Stadium in Fort Lauderdale. In a wild 19-minute sequence late in the first half, Lewis Morgan scored a brace, canceling out an Eric Remedi equalizer and Luis Robles made not one, but two penalty kick saves to deny Ezequiel Barco.
Then came news Thursday Gonzalo Higuain reportedly has reached an agreement with Juventus to pay out the remaining year of his contract, and him arriving in Miami to undergo a physical ahead of his MLS move, greeted at the airport by owner Jorge Mas.
“Gonzalo Higuain is in Florida, doing his medical exam," Miami manager Diego Alonso said. "It’s in the final stage of negotiations, we hope we can close this agreement and he can be with us soon.”
- Updated team roster
- Injury Report:
- OUT: George Acosta (M) - left knee injury
- OUT: David Norman Jr (M) - left ankle injury
- OUT: Denso Ulysse (D) - left lower leg injury
- Suspended: None
- Suspended after next caution: Nicolas Figal (D)
- International duty: None
Series Matchup
- Orlando City SC: 1 win, 4 goals
- Inter Miami: 1 win, 4 goals
- 0 draws
Officials
- Referee: Ismail Elfath
- Assistant Referees: Logan Brown, Gjovalin Bori
- 4th Official: Nima Saghafi
- VAR: Christina Unkel
