“He Was the Best Player on the Field” – After Lionel Messi Failed to Win MOTM Award, Inter Miami Boss Showers Praises on 26YO Winner For His Performance

Ever since Lionel Messi joined Inter Miami, he’s consistently delivered remarkable performances. However, the law of averages finally caught up as he faced his first setback of the season against Nashville SC. Luckily for him, his Canadian teammate showed immense maturity and composure last night to make up for his inefficacy. This also drew remarkable praise from coach Martino for the Canadian.

Nashville SC’s stubborn defense made Miami commit more men up front leaving them vulnerable at the back. Nashville SC hence became extremely dangerous on the counter and if not for a miraculous performance by Miami’s defense, The Boys in Gold would have made a meal out of the match. The pick amongst Miami’s defense was none other than Canadian center-back Kamal Miller who as per Tata Martino was the standout player on the field.

Kamal Miller steps up big time drawing Tata Martino’s praise

Despite Miami hoarding more than two-thirds of the possession, all the dangerous chances of the match went to Nashville’s attackers. In fact, there were a couple of clear-cut chances in the second half for The Boys in Gold which they failed to convert because of Kamal Miller. The Canadian defender made two stunning perfectly timed last-ditch tackles in the second half to keep Miami in the match.

Dive Deeper: Top 10 MLS Debut Performances of All Time After Lionel Messi’s League Opener With Inter Miami

Moreover, there were instances in the match when he dribbled all the way from Miami’s half to Nashville’s penalty box on his own thus contributing to the attack as well. Miller’s all-round performance was truly a standout and coach Martino acknowledged this in his post-match presser. “He was the best player on the field and I think that tonight he had a lot of work to do, especially in the second half,” said the Argentine in praise of Miller.

As impressive as Miller’s performance was, one cannot overlook Miami’s glaring problem in breaking down a low block. Now with Messi set to miss at least three upcoming matches; Miami fans would be worried about their fortunes in the coming month.

September looks gloomy for Miami with Lionel Messi set to miss at least 3 games

Minutes after Leo made a smashing MLS debut, news broke that Argentina has called up the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner for their International friendlies. This means that Messi won’t be available for at least two weeks’ worth of MLS fixtures for Miami. Considering today’s result and performance in mind, MLS teams now might have finally found Miami’s weakness.

Coach Martino in his recent interview acknowledged the same. He however had a clear belief that in Leo’s absence, the team needs to believe in themselves and perform as a team. “I think it’s the first time we’ve played without Messi since the Cruz Azul match. We controlled the match for large portions. We needed to do this so we can believe that we can win without him,” said the gaffer optimistically.

WATCH THIS STORY: American Athletes With Ownership in Soccer Teams

Will Tata Martino and his men forge a team identity and keep up their performance sans Messi? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!