Nashville SC 3-0 Inter Miami CF

Inter Miami’s playoff dreams were ended abruptly in Tennessee following a disappointing display against fellow expansion club Nashville SC.

Both sides celebrated their first-ever playoff qualification heading into this game but it was Nashville who would progress and with relative ease.

Inter were dealt a blow leading up to the game when designated player Gonzalo Higuain, as well as brother Federico Higuain and defensive teammate Leandro Gonzalo-Pirez, were all ruled out due to issues relating to coronavirus.

That, perhaps, left Miami with an uphill battle from the off and so it proved with Nashville dominating from the off.

It took just 14 minutes for Gary Smith’s side to take the lead, Randall Leal firing in a super strike from 30 yards, leaving John McCarthy in the Miami goal helpless as he picked out the top corner.

QUE GOLAZO RANDALL LEAL #EveryoneN #NSHvMIA pic.twitter.com/eWakzzPmNd

— x – Nashville SC (@NashvilleSC) November 21, 2020

And things got worse for Miami after 23 minutes when Nashville was awarded an incredibly soft penalty.

Hany Mukhtar went around McCarthy before going down, claiming to be fouled. The referee pointed to the spot but despite the replay showing minimal contact, the decision was not reversed and Mukhtar stepped up himself to double the home side’s advantage.

A slice of luck for Nashville, but Inter were to blame for their own undoing, putting in a lax performance which clearly didn’t impress Diego Alonso, the Herons head coach replacing Dylan Nealis with Matias Pellegrini after just 32 minutes.

Miami improved in the early exchanges of the second half. Substitute Pellegrini looked sharp and could have scored when Mikey Ambrose turned a cross back towards goal, but the Argentine could only fire over.

Then came the ultimate sucker punch. Just when the Herons looked as though they might find a route back into the game, Dax McCarty finished them off, dribbling through the middle before firing low into the right-bottom corner from the edge of the box.

First #MLSCupPlayoffs match.
First #MLSCupPlayoffs WIN. #EveryoneN pic.twitter.com/QcWNIDDxMb

— x – Nashville SC (@NashvilleSC) November 21, 2020

A culmination of awful defending from Miami, dropping off without direction while Blaise Matudi sluggishly tried to make up ground in midfield.

Alonso’s men showed some spirit, still pressing late on, and Pellegrini was again unlucky not to score when he drew a fine low save from Joe Willis.

But this was only ever going to end in disappointment for Inter, who were well below par from the off.

And so Miami’s inaugural season draws to an end. There has been cause for encouragement, no doubt, but Alonso will know there is a lot to address ahead of next season when he must find a way to make his side tougher to beat and far more defensively resolute.