With a 3-2 victory over Sporting Kansas City on Saturday, Inter Miami closed the gap on the playoff spots in Major League Soccer by six points despite the absence of Lionel Messi.
Eight Inter Miami players, including Messi, were away on international duty, but Gerardo “Tata” Martino’s squad displayed its depth by extending its unbeaten streak across all competitions to 12 games.
Miami knows they have little margin for mistake as they fight to move up from their pre-Messi position at the bottom of the Eastern Conference into the top nine, but their night got off to a bad start.
Goalkeeper Drake Callender was unable to stop Felipe Gutierrez’s shot, and Daniel Salloi tucked in the errant ball.
However, Miami tied the score in the 25th minute on a penalty kick from Leonardo Campana after the Ecuadorian attacker was knocked to the ground by Kansas City goalkeeper Tim Melia as they contested a high pass.
Campana, unlike Messi, was not selected for this week’s South American World Cup qualifiers, and he proved to be pivotal when he gave the home team a 2-1 lead on the verge of halftime with a proficient header from a DeAndre Yedlin cross.
After the break, Campana took a quick touch goalward from a low Jordi Alba cross, but Melia dived to make the save.
After additional exceptional performance from Alba, who just announced his retirement from service with the Spanish national team, Melia stepped in to deny Nicolas Stefaneli.
Miami’s other former Spain stalwart, midfielder Sergio Busquets, created the third when he showed great awareness to take a quick free-kick on the half-way line and send Argentine forward Facundo Farias through.
Farias, one of a trio of young South American signings brought in to add some energy and talent to accompany the team’s veteran stars, showed great composure as he ran in on goal and beat Melia with a perfectly placed shot.
But with 12 minutes remaining, Sporting pulled a goal back with Alan Pulido’s 13th MLS goal of the season, the Mexican pounding on a loose ball and then beating Callender with a clinical finish.
The final seven minutes of stoppage time, when a worn-out Miami was hanging on, gave the visitors plenty of pressure.
However, Miami are currently only six points behind Wayne Rooney’s ninth-placed team in the East and have two games in hand after D.C. United was held to a 0-0 draw at home to San Jose.
Third in the Western Conference and defending champions Los Angeles FC visit the Portland Timbers later on Saturday.
