Your Fútbol is Live: Inter Miami CF Historical Inaugural Season Back on Track
Following the hiatus which began on March 12, Inter Miami is finally ready to get the Club’s historical inaugural season in MLS rolling again with the team’s participation in the MLS is Back Tournament, which will be played at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Fla. After facing LAFC on March 1 and D.C. United on March 7 in the Club’s first two matches in the league, Inter Miami returns to action in the opening match of the tournament against the league’s other Florida-based team Orlando City SC on July 8 at 8 p.m. ET. Inter Miami, as a member of Group A which consists of six teams, will then face Chicago Fire FC on July 14 and the Philadelphia Union on July 19 as part of the tournament’s group stage.
Victor Ulloa Reunites with Former Coach Óscar Pareja
There will be a special reunion taking place the evening of Inter Miami’s matchup against Orlando City SC on July 8, as midfielder Victor Ulloa will be facing his former head coach Óscar Pareja, who managed him from 2014 to 2018 during his time as an FC Dallas player. Overall, Ulloa made 172 appearances across all competitions under his tutelage, registering six goals and seven assists and being an important member of the team’s 2016 Supporters’ Shield and 2016 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup-winning side.
Julián Carranza is Back!
After sitting out of Inter Miami’s first two MLS games due to an injury sustained on his left foot, Inter Miami attacker Julian Carranza is fully fit and ready to make his official competitive debut for the Club in the MLS is Back Tournament. The 20-year old Argentinian became the second player signed in Inter Miami’s history upon joining the Club on July 26, 2019.
Familiar Faces
Inter Miami midfielder Mikey Ambrose and defender/midfielder Brek Shea are back in a familiar city and will be facing their former team. Ambrose made 18 appearances for Orlando City B and 5 appearances for Orlando City in his year and a half at the club from August 2015 to December 2016. Meanwhile, Shea was a marquee signing ahead of the 2015 season; he went on to play 47 games across all competitions over two seasons, registering three goals and four assists. Additionally, during their time in Orlando, they were teammates with current Orlando CIty SC goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar who joined the team in November 2015.
Meaningful Tournament
Inter Miami will be back in action on July 8 against Orlando City SC in the opening match of the MLS is Back Tournament. But, what exactly is at stake during the unique competition taking place from July 8 to August 11? First off, group stage match results will count toward the MLS regular season standings. Following the group stage, the top three finishers in Inter Miami’s six-team Group A along with the top two finishers in the five groups made up of four teams and next three best teams across all groups, will advance to the knockout rounds.
In addition to the group stage results counting towards MLS regular season standings, the winner of the tournament will also receive an automatic 2021 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League berth. Players will also have opportunities to earn bonuses from a $1.1 million prize pool.
A Trip Down Memory Lane for Anthony Pulis
The Club’s first match of the MLS is Back Tournament will surely bring some fond memories back to surface for Inter Miami assistant coach Anthony Pulis. Back in 2014, when he was performing as a midfielder for Orlando CIty Soccer Club, the USL Pro team that was the precursor to MLS side Orlando City SC, he played his last match as a professional footballer against Harrisburg City Islanders on September 14, 2014 in a game that was played at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.
Diego Alonso Takes on an Óscar Pareja-led Side Once Again
Inter Miami’s Uruguayan head coach Diego Alonso will be matching up against a known rival in Óscar Pareja, having previously faced the Colombian coach both during his time in charge of C.F. Pachuca and later on C.F. Monterrey. First, when Alonso was at the helm in Pachuca, he defeated Pareja’s FC Dallas side in the semifinals of the 2017 Concacaf Champions League, coming out victorious by an aggregate score of 4-3. Subsequently, in March 2019, Pareja defeated Alonso’s Monterrey side 1-0 in a Liga MX match.
Inter Miami Players' Previous Record Against Orlando City
When Inter Miami returns to action against Orlando City SC in the opening match of the MLS is Back Tournament on July 8, it will be the first-ever matchup between both teams, but several of the Club’s players have played the Orlando-based team in the past. Overall, 15 out of 28 players on the Club’s roster for its historic inaugural season have previously faced off against Orlando CIty SC. Most notably, Brek Shea, Wil Trapp and Victor Ulloa scored once each, Jay Chapman and Lee Nguyen scored twice each and Juan Agudelo scored three times in the past against the league’s other Florida-based team. In addition, Román Torres, Ulloa and Agudelo previously recorded one assist each against Orlando, while Nguyen racked up five assists.
Scouting Orlando City SC
In Orlando CIty SC’s first five years in MLS they have yet to advance to the playoffs and the franchise has their sights set on changing that in the 2020 season. Ahead of the season’s kickoff, they hired former FC Dallas and Liga MX side Club Tijuana head coach Óscar Pareja, who in his stint managing Dallas from 2014 to 2018 led the team to win the 2016 Supporters’ Shield and the 2016 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. They also signed Peruvian international goalkeeper Pedro Gallese on a free transfer and Brazilian center back Antonio Carlos on loan from Brazilian side Palmeiras to reinforce their defensive backline which proved to be a weakness in the 2019 season. Up top, they will continue to rely on their Portuguese forward Luis Nani, who led the line for the team last season with 12 goals and 10 assists to his name.
Prior to the season’s pause back in March, Orlando City recorded a 0-0 stalemate against Real Salt Lake in matchday 1 and a 2-1 loss against Colorado Rapids in matchday 2.
