Gonzalo Higuain's 5th Goal Of Season Not Enough To Beat Orlando City
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Inter Miami CF could not hold on to a goal advantage and fell 2-1 to Orlando City in front of a packed house at DRV PNK Stadium on Friday night.
Miami now has a record of 2 wins, 2 draws and 6 losses for a total of 8 points.
Miami's only goal, scored by Argentine star Gonzalo Higuain, gave the Inter fans reason to chant.
"I feel really proud of the team. I think when you talk about what you want to see from the team, this is exactly what I saw tonight," said head coach Phil Neville. "I'm absolutely convinced that [if] we keep our attitude, we keep our level of performance, we are heading in the right direction...Life sometimes doesn't always deal you the cards that you want in terms of fútbol but the results will turn with that kind of attitude and performance level."
Before the start of the game, a moment of silence in memory of those who died and are still missing from the collapsed Surfside condo.
The team wore black armbands to remember those affected by the tragedy.
Inter Miami is donating $10,000 to the Support Surfside Relief Fund.
The match remained scoreless during the first 45 minutes.
Inter Miami made a pair of changes in the 61st minute, bringing on Rodolfo Pizarro and Gonzalo Higuaín.
The changes quickly proved fruitful, with Higuaín opening the scoring in the 67th minute.
Higuain cut in from the left, drove past defenders and fired a powerful shot from long range into the bottom corner of the net for a 1-0 lead.
It was Higuaín's fifth of the season, the most on the team, while the assist was Chapman's first of the campaign.
Orlando responded in the 73rd minute; Nani delivered a cross from the right-wing that Chris Mueller met in the box, who volleyed it into the back of the net to equalize. The visitors then took the lead in the 80th minute, with Nani firing a curling shot from the left corner of the box into the top right corner of the net to make it 1-2.
Inter Miami CF will be back in action next Saturday, when Inter Miami visits CF Montréal at Red Bull Arena for a 7:30 p.m. kick-off.
