Inter Miami claimed a big three points with a 2-1 win over Atlanta United on Saturday night.
Brek Shea scored the winner against his former club after Joe Gallagher cancelled out Juan Agudelo’s opener in a frantic opening five minutes.
The win takes Miami up to 11th in the Eastern Conference with Diego Alonso’s men losing just two of their last seven as they prepare for superstar Gonzalo Higuain to make his debut.
Inter got off to a flying start at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, taking the lead within two minutes. Juan Agudelo showed some superb hold-up play to bring in Lewis Morgan out wide.
The winger drilled a low ball in from the left and when it broke on the edge of the six-yard box, Agudelo was there to hammer home.
2′ – GOAL! @JuanAgudelo gets us on the board EARLY!#ATLvMIA | 0-1 pic.twitter.com/TNuEGmIHae
— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) September 19, 2020
But once again, the Herons looked vulnerable after taking the lead and allowed an equaliser within two minutes.
George Bello found Joe Gallagher in the box and the 24-year-old Irishman found the net with a super, powerful strike, leaving Luis Robles helpless.
Inter Miami had to respond and they did. Just after the 10-minute mark, they were back ahead with Brek Shea reeling off in celebration against his old club.
Tonight’s @Heineken_US Man of the Match, @BrekShea! pic.twitter.com/RB6WqOA0pp
— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) September 20, 2020
A quickly-taken corner found Rodolfo Pizarro on the byline and the Mexican playmaker chipped the ball to the back-post to find Shea, who powered how with a header from two yards at best.
Both teams kept up the pressure before the break, Shea coming close to his second only to be denied by a sliding block from Dion Pereira.
And Inter did look as though they had doubled their lead when Victor Ulloa squeezed one past Brad Guzan in the Atlanta goal, but an offside upon VAR review meant it remained 2-1 heading into the break.
The first real opportunity of the second half saw Robles pull off a wonderful stop to deny Cubo Torres directed a header goalwards from close range following Brooks Lennon’s cross. A remarkable save to keep Miami ahead.
That opportunity came 20 minutes from time and it really was all the Five Stripes managed to muster up in a comfortable second half for Miami.
Three points for Alonso’s men and they have now lost just two games from seven with Gonnzalo Higuain still to come into the fold.
Miami is now up to 11th in the Eastern Conference after its first away win of the season, moving above Atlanta.
3 Points ✅
First win on the road ✅ pic.twitter.com/3WYXRjHYko— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) September 20, 2020
“The feelings are very good [after the match],” Inter head coach Alonso said at full-time. “We played a great match, one of our best.
“Above all else, you can win a match, but to win a match doing what you set out to do makes it a lot easier to repeat. We’re happy because we did what we set out to and we continue taking steps forward.
“It was undoubtedly the best match we’ve played on the road. We were able to take control of the match, with the ball and then at the end defending spaces well…We never stopped attacking, we were always looking for our third goal.
“I think it was important to threaten our opponents and I think it was a complete performance.”
