Inter Miami 0-3 Orlando: 3 Takeaways As Herons' Attack Falls Silent | OneFootball

The FIFA Club World Cup is looming, and Inter Miami CF can’t get much worse.

After losing 4–1 to Minnesota United and drawing 3–3 with the San Jose Earthquakes, the Herons fell 3–0 to their rival Orlando City SC on Sunday, continuing their poor run of form under manager Javier Mascherano.

While supporters continued to pack the stands of Chase Stadium and displayed a tifo ahead of the match, the on-field struggles continued. Miami fell to sixth in the MLS Eastern Conference and behind their Florida rivals.

Yet, even in the most challenging and disappointing moments, there may be things to learn for Miami before they can look ahead. After all, they face a challenging Philadelphia Union side next week.

“Now we'll truly see if we're a team in difficult times, because when everything's going well, it's very easy,” Lionel Messi said after the match. “When difficult times come, that's when we have to be more united than ever, be a true team, and pull ourselves together."

Defensive Issues highlighted on opening goal

Noah Allen has been one of Inter Miami's most consistent defenders in a challenging 2025 season. / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Inter Miami have struggled to defend all season, and the opening goal allowed against Orlando summed up one of their primary issues: an aggressive high line.

When attacking, Mascherano pushes his defenders forward, hoping to shut down the spaces so the opposition can clear the ball. However, this leaves the defenders high up and pitching, leaving the backline vulnerable to a counterattack.

While Lionel Messi, Jordi Alba, and other Inter Miami players consulted with the referee in hopes of influencing a decision, Orlando goalkeeper Pedro Gallese moved quickly and took advantage of Miami’s high line, sending a long ball up the middle to the on-running Luis Muriel, who made no mistake finishing past Oscar Ustari.

Although it can work in some instances, Miami has not proven that their defenders are fast enough to catch up to a quick counter, and they quickly fell victim to the long ball, as it has all season.

They might need to be a little bit more conservative, moving forward.

Ustari’s Struggles Reach a Tipping Point

As Inter Miami continue to give up chances, they have not gotten much luck from their goalkeeper, Oscar Ustari, who struggled once again on Sunday night.

The 38-year-old Argentine entered the match having faced 36 shots and had allowed 11 goals. However, many of the ones he had conceded were preventable, with mistakes often due to goalkeeper error.

While he did not have much chance on Muriel’s opening breakaway goal, the second strike from Marco Pašalič fell on him completely, as he let the ball slip through his hands and into the goal, not dissimilar to other mistakes he has made this season.

As much as Miami has showcased their ability to outscore problems in the past, not getting routine saves from their goalkeeper can nullify attacking excellence, as happened in the draw against San Jose.

Originally signed as a backup to Drake Callender, Ustari has failed to meet the standard Miami needs. Recently, the club has been linked with San Jose backup goalkeeper William Yarbrough. However, he is unlikely to be the solution that will turn them into a contender.

Where Has Miami's Attack Gone?

Luis Suárez had five shots in his return to the Inter Miami CF lineup on Sunday night. / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Miami will want to forget most elements of Sunday’s match, but the glaring issue that came out of it was the lack of intensity in the attack. The result marked the first time since Oct. 7, 2023, that they had been shut out at home in MLS play, and none of their attacking stars were able to muster up much of a threat.

The Herons finished the match with just four of 21 shots on target and just 1.08 xG, compared to Orlando’s eight shots on target and 2.90 xG. Meanwhile, Miami once again controlled most of the play with 64 percent possession but failed to make it count in attacking ways.

Mascherano tweaked his lineup for the matchup, sending Jordi Alba into a more attacking position in left midfield, and starting Yannick Bright in a double pivot with Sergio Busquets. However, they were unable to reap the benefits of either change.

Still, though, Alba, who was playing in his first match after signing a contract extension through 2027, was one of the better players. He created five chances and completed 90 percent of his 51 passes. Yet, the disappointing efforts of those around him left each chance incomplete.

When co-owners Jorge Mas and David Beckham envisioned Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi era, they hoped the team would have an attacking flair and showcase the skills of some of the generation’s best players. Instead, their struggling veterans face their biggest challenge yet and will need to muster the form of years gone by to turn the Herons back into an MLS Cup contender.

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