Inter Miami CF remained unbeaten at home through its second match at Inter Miami CF Stadium, drawing and recording its second consecutive clean sheet in a scoreless tie against fellow expansion side Nashville SC. The match kicked off at 9:45 p.m. ET after a lengthy weather delay and aired nationally on FS1.
Inter Miami’s starting XI featured its most recent signing Blaise Matuidi, giving the World Cup-winning French international his MLS debut and making him just the 12th World Cup winner to feature in the league.
The hosts opened proceedings on the front foot, creating the first four scoring opportunities of the match, beginning in just the second minute. Juan Agudelo operated on the left wing, passing to his partner on the flank Ben Sweat who tapped the ball to forward Julián Carranza in front of goal. Carranza snapped a quick shot just wide of the left post after the ball came in from Sweat. Six minutes later the team put together a swift attack; Matuidi collected the ball deep in midfield and slid a precise pass between defenders and into the feet of Agudelo, who pushed the ball out to Sweat on the left wing. Sweat collected possession and struck a cross into Rodolfo Pizarro in the box, who then curled a first-time shot just wide of the right post.
Inter Miami defender Nicolás Figal registered the first shot on target of the match in the 14th minute. The Argentine received the ball near the top right corner of the box after some intricate buildup play from his teammates, and cut in on his left foot before striking a low left-footed shot that was saved by Nashville goalkeeper Joe Willis. In the 20th minute the hosts again threatened the Nashville goal; Scottish winger Lewis Morgan hit a driven low cross from the right wing across the face of goal that Carranza nearly connected with, but the ball slid through to Agudelo at the far post. Agudelo then slid a pass in to Pizarro towards the center of the box, who struck a shot just wide.
A pair of important defensive interventions by Inter Miami came before the end of the first half, beginning with a close-range reaction save by Robles in the 24th minute and subsequent goal line clearance from Figal. In the 39th minute, Andrés Reyes tracked back after a long ball over the top from Nashville and made a crucial tackle in the box on the last man.
The second half began with another impressive save from Robles as the keeper dove to his left and palmed away a shot from Randall Leal from inside the box.
Inter Miami made its first substitution of the match in the 54th minute bringing on Robbie Robinson in place of Carranza. The rookie forward quickly got involved in the match, running in behind the defense, receiving a pass from Sweat and curling a low shot from the left side of the box that drew a kick save from Willis.
Robinson was responsible for two more dangerous shots, the first of which came in the 71st minute when he headed a shot on goal after receiving a cross from Matuidi. In the 84th minute, Robinson lined up to take a free kick after drawing a foul on the edge of the box, and struck a powerful low shot just wide of the far post.
Inter Miami made four more substitutions in the second half, first bringing on Wil Trapp and Brek Shea for Victor Ulloa and Ben Sweat in the 70th minute. In the 79th minute, the team brought on Jay Chapman and Dylan Nealis for Matuidi and Lewis Morgan.
The last dangerous moment of the match came in the second minute of second-half added time when Robles punched away a cross and quickly recovered to pop up and save a powerful strike from Nashville.
The match ended in a scoreless draw in which the hosts looked the more dangerous of the two sides. Inter Miami finished the match with 54% possession and 13 total shots, including five on target.
As part of MLS’s annual Kick Childhood Cancer campaign to raise awareness and funds for childhood cancer during the month of September, the match featured a commemorative gold ribbon on the adidas 2020 MLS Nativo XXV Official Match Ball, gold corner flags and goal nets, gold captain’s armbands and gold ribbon jersey patches, pins for the technical staff, gold wristbands for PRO referees, digital, broadcast and in-stadium campaigns, and more.
The team will return to action this Wednesday, Sept. 9 when it hosts Atlanta United FC at 8 p.m. ET.
