Heron Talk presented by Gallagher
Inter Miami CF makes its first appearance in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Tuesday, April 19, against cross town rivals Miami FC. The occasion will mark the first time both clubs will meet in a competitive setting, lending an atmosphere of excitement and anticipation for the players, staff, and fans alike.
Midfielder Mo Adams addressed the media as the team returned to training following a 0-1 victory over the Seattle Sounders on the road this past weekend, noting the squad’s elevated morale.
“Spirits are good, spirits are high; we’re excited for the game. I think the fact that it’s both Miami teams adds that special feeling to it, like it’s more competitive I’d say. All in all, we’re very excited. Any time you play a cup game you have to be composed and try to take the emotion out of it, as much as you can. At the same time, we’re going to try to bring our intensity and our competitive edge that we’ve shown over the past couple games.”
Adams also expressed the squad’s excitement to play against a local opponent backed by the electric atmosphere that Inter Miami fans are renowned for.
“Us players are very excited to play an ‘away game’ in Miami. I’ve never had that, I’ve never done that before. I’m excited. Bring it on! I want a good crowd, I want a good fan base. I’m excited, these are the kind of games you want to play.”
Head coach Phil Neville agreed that the team was motivated to face a rival that was near to home and emphasized that the team must remain focused ahead of this cup tie.
“I’d say if it’s ever a game you’d get up and be motivated for, it’s a game against your local team, Miami FC. We’re not going to take this game lightly. We know how big it is for the city. We hope in the future that this could become something more regular. We’ve played the Eastern Conference champions and really the best team in the MLS in the last two weeks, and really our attitude has to be better tomorrow night than it has been against those two teams because if you don’t, you’ll get found out. Tomorrow night we will select our best team; we’re going to give Miami FC our utmost respect and I think you’ll see that with the line up that we put out.”
Further commenting on the team’s ambitions in the U.S. Open Cup, Neville stated his goals clearly for the club.
“We want to win this competition. This competition is a great opportunity for us to get into the Champions League, and that’s where this club needs to be. This is the first step on the ladder. When you speak of the first round in a Cup competition, these are the types of games that get you excited. I think it’ll be a proper atmosphere, I really do. I think it’s going to be a fantastic night for soccer in Miami, and we’re looking forward to it.”
Inter Miami’s U.S. Open Cup match against Miami FC on April 19 at 7 p.m. ET will be broadcast on ESPN+. Fans can follow live updates including video highlights and stats on the club’s app.
