PREVIEW: Miami needs win tonight against San Jose
The match between Inter Miami CF and the San Jose Earthquakes, sides featuring skilled attackers and suspect defenses, could see goals-a-plenty.
Inter Miami still looking for answers in San Jose
San Jose Earthquakes striker Josef Martinez, a former Major League Soccer MVP and record-setting goal-scorer, will be available to play tonight against his former team, Inter Miami CF. CREDIT: San Jose Earthquakes.
‘…There are things that need to be corrected’
First-year Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano says he gets it; maybe tonight we’ll see if he knows what to do about it.
The slumping Herons (6-2-3, 21 points) have lost four of their last five matches across all competitions and are clinging to fourth place in the MLS Eastern Conference. They were embarrassed in a 4-1 loss Saturday at Minnesota United FC. Tonight they’ll try to rebound against another Western Conference opponent, the San Jose Earthquakes (5-6-1, 16 points).
Kickoff is at 9:30 p.m. ET at PayPal Park in San Jose.
• WHO: Inter Miami CF (6-2-3, 21 points) at San Jose Earthquakes (5-6-1, 16 points)
• WHAT: Major League Soccer regular season
• WHEN: 9:30 p.m. ET Wednesday
• WHERE: PayPal Park, San Jose, Calif.
• TV: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV+
• RADIO: Inter Miami — ESPN 106.3 FM (English), Deportes Radio 760 AM (Spanish)
• RADIO: San Jose — 810 AM/KSFO-AM (English), La Kaliente 1370 AM/KZSF-AM (Spanish)
During Miami’s slump, teams have packed the box to deny Lionel Messi and the Herons room to work; when opponents do possess the ball, they transition quickly into a counterattack exploiting Miami’s lack of pace.
"I'm not going to be a hypocrite here and say everything's fine because, obviously, we don't like losing," Mascherano told reporters earlier this week. "I understand that we've lost four of the last five games and that there are things that need to be corrected."
In Miami’s last two matches — a 4-1 win at home against New York Red Bulls and the loss last week to Minnesota, Mascherano pushed his outside backs higher up the pitch, attacking the defense from the wings and creating chances for runners darting into the box; the strategy eventually created more room for central attackers to work, but also left huge gaps behind the outside backs. The Loons, a team with disciplined defenders and wings with good pace, exploited the Herons with lethal counter attacks.
Some tinkering
Critics also are questioning Mascherano’s formation and lineup choices. Against Minnesota, he scrapped his favored 4-2-3-1 with Luis Suarez as the lone striker for a 4-3-3 with Messi playing a “false 9” between Telasco Segovia and Benjamin Cremaschi. Mascherano explained he had intended using Fafa Picault, one of the Herons only speedy players, in the front three, but Picault woke up with a serious migraine that kept him off the match sheet. Suarez was unavailable for “personal reasons,” presumably a family wedding though that hasn’t been confirmed. Allen Obando, an 18-year-old striker brought in to be Suarez’ backup, also didn’t play for unexplained reasons.
Without a true striker to anchor and focus the attacking midfielders, the Herons struggled mightily to create chances despite having roughly 70 percent possession.
What will Mascherano do tonight? It seems to be anybody’s guess.
Earthquakes are much-improved
New coach Bruce Arena, a former USMNT manager and iconic American soccer coach, has the Earthquakes playing much better than last year’s squad, but that’s a very low bar. The ‘Quakes “won” the 2024 Wooden Spoon, an unofficial recognition for fielding the league’s worst team in the regular season. San Jose has five wins in 12 matches this year, just one short of their total for last year’s 34-match regular season.
The Earthquakes offense has scored 26 goals this season, best in MLS, and won three straight matches in all competitions. Chicho Arango is tied for the league lead with eight goals and former Heron Josef Martinez has six; Cristian Espinoza is tied for the MLS lead with seven assists.
"We're getting better and, obviously, when you win three games in a row, there's a consistency there," Arena said of his team. "The group's getting better. We've got a long way to go, but I'm pleased with the progress we're making."
On the other hand, the ‘Quakes have allowed 20 goals, so Messi & Co. should find some joy tonight.
PROJECTED LINEUPS
SAN JOSE — Daniel; Muncie, Romney, Rodrigues; Costa, Leroy, Harkes, Jones; Bouda, Arango.
INTER MIAMI — Ustari; Alba, Allen, Falcon, Weigandt; Bright, Busquets, Fray; Picault, Obando, Messi.