2020 MLS is Back Tournament – Group A, Matchday 13
Inter Miami CF vs. New York City FC
ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex
Mon., July 20 – 9:00 AM ET
TV: ESPN, ESPN Deportes; TSN in Canada
STREAMING: ESPN App in USA; TSN App in Canada
Inter Miami CF and New York City FC square off in their Group A finale on Monday morning with both teams desperate for a win that could keep them alive in the MLS is Back Tournament. They'll be hoping that three points are enough to see them through to the Knockout Rounds as one of the four best 3rd-placed teams.
It turns out the two Eastern Conference teams are still without a point in the Orlando Tournament after losing their first two group games. But they're also without a single point in the MLS regular season standings, having also lost the first two games of the regular season back in March.
And while expansion side Inter Miami may have been expected to need some time to find their way in 2020, NYCFC were the East's best team in 2019 with the second best record in the league. The pressure is mounting on both head coach Diego Alonso (Miami) and new NYCFC manager Ronny Deila to right their respective ship.
For the neutral fan, it should prove an entertaining match as this first-ever meeting pits two sides that prefer to possess and play through the lines.
Inter Miami CF
Inter Miami, which squandered a second-half lead and fell to Orlando City SC in the tournament's opening match, fell by the same scoreline to the Philadelphia Union in their second match.
Center back Andrés Reyes was shown a red card deep into stoppage time against Philadelphia and is suspended against NYCFC. Argentine center back Nicolas Figal is expected to fill in for him.
Center forward Julian Carranza made his first start for the club against Philadelphia while fellow attacker Jerome Kiesewetter debuted in the match. Manager Diego Alonso could opt to field Juan Agudelo as the lead striker against NYCFC. Agudelo filled in at center forward in the opening match of the tournament and scored a goal.
- Updated Inter Miami roster
- Injury Report:
- OUT: George Acosta (M) - left knee injury
- OUT: Denso Ulysse (D) - left lower leg injury
- OUT: David Norman Jr. (M) - left ankle injury
- UNAVAILABLE: Robbie Robinson (F)
- Suspended: Andres Reyes (D)
- Suspended after next caution: None
- International duty: None
New York City FC
NYCFC's surprising early-season struggles continued with a 3-1 defeat to Orlando City SC in their second group game, which saw the team deprived of the playmaking ability of injured star Maxi Moralez.
The good news is that against Miami they'll get Alexandru Mitrita back from an ankle injury with the Romanian international returning to training this week past week.
"Not one game we've lost this year I've felt like we've been outclassed -- the other team never has better players than us, we're always more talented," said NYCFC's James Sands. "The next thing you look at is: Is the other team outworking us? You could say Orlando for sure outworked us, at least in the beginning. Some of the other games we've lost we've just been outworked a little bit ... I think just giving that little bit more will move us a lot in the right direction."
- Updated team roster
- Injury Report:
- OUT: Maxi Moralez (M) - quad injury
- OUT: Gedion Zelalem (M) - knee injury
- Suspended: None
- Suspended after next caution: None
- International duty: None
Series Matchup
- This is the first-ever meeting between Inter Miami CF and NYCFC
Officials
- Referee: Rosendo Mendoza
- Assistant Referees: Kathryn Nesbitt, Eduardo Mariscal
- 4th Official: Marcos de Oliveira
- VAR: Allen Chapman
