LAKE BUENA VISTA, FL – NYCFC eliminated expansion team Inter Miami from the MLS is Back Tournament with a 1-0 win on Monday morning at Disney World.
The new squad from south Florida were still looking for their team’s first win, but came up empty in Group A of the tournament at the ESPN Wide World of Sports. NYCFC (1-2-0 tournament)) has survived and has a shot at a possible 3rd place mach in the next round.
Miami is struggling, as most expansion teams tend to do. Inter went 0-3 in the tournament, and this was their fifth 1 goal loss of the season, giving them the worst start for an expansion team in MLS history. Juan Aguedelo left them with 10 on the pitch after drawing his second yellow card in the 90th minute.
The first half was not an exciting one, but things picked up after the half.
NYCFC took the lead in the 64th minute when Alexandru Mitrita passed to Tajouri-Shradi on a breakaway. The winger took a great first touch, setting himself up for a clean finish past goalkeeper Luis Robles and inside the left post to give his side the lead.
The NYCFC win was the first for Ronny Deila since he took over the managerial reins from Dome Torrent, who guided the club to a first-place finish in the Eastern Conference last season.
Miami boss Diego Alonso said the poor start hasn’t discouraged him or the team.
“I feel in the game today we didn’t play as well as the one before against Philadelphia, but the team deserves more and has got little,” Alonso said.
“We’ll have to keep trying, working. I don’t regret being the coach of these players. I’m with them more now than ever. I’m convinced that we’ll get out of this believing and trusting in them, lifting confidence and trying to get better in the week so that football gives us the rewards we deserve.”
Miami’s time in the festival is done. NYCFC awaits results from the Orlando/ Philadelphia match to see here they fit in to the knockout round of 16
