First MLS game for the new coach
Kily Gonzalez takes charge of his first MLS match on the Inter Miami bench on Sunday night. Lionel Messi’s club hosts San Diego FC. The Argentine was appointed permanent head coach at the end of last month, replacing interim boss Guillermo Hoyos.
His official debut came on Wednesday night. Messi opened the scoring, then provided the assist for Casemiro’s goal in a 2-0 win over Cruz Azul in the Campeones Cup.
“There was a lot of anxiety, a lot of joy at the same time and a lot of uncertainty about what I would feel”, Gonzalez said. “But the truth is, my staff and I are very happy, we are enjoying it to the full and we are even demanding more of ourselves.”
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Miami are stalling in the league
That win technically stretches Miami’s unbeaten run to five games in all competitions, with two wins and three draws. Even so, the results are still short of what was expected from the reigning MLS Cup holders.
The Herons have drawn their last three league outings. With 12 wins, 4 losses and 9 draws for 45 points, they go into Sunday in third place in the Eastern Conference, 12 points behind Nashville. At the other end, the attack is still the best in the league with 61 goals.
San Diego arrive in a storm
On the other side, things look a lot worse. San Diego (8-11-6, 30 points) face Messi and Miami for the first time in their history and are coming off three straight losses. The latest hurt badly: a 5-0 home defeat to Philadelphia Union last Sunday. Mikey Varas’s side have slipped back to ninth in the West, just above the playoff line.
The California defense has shipped three goals or more in 10 matches this season in all competitions. Anders Dreyer keeps carrying the team with 9 goals and 11 assists, a year after finishing second in the MVP vote behind Messi in his first MLS season.
“It’s a massive challenge”, Varas admitted to MLSsoccer.com. “They’ve got top-level players, they’ve got the best player in the history of the sport. But it’s a challenge that excites all of us, because nobody has woken up over the last few days happy with where we are.”
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