MLS

MATCH PREVIEW: Inter Miami CF to visit CF Montréal on Saturday

Inter Miami CF (2W-2D-6L, 8 points) is back on the road this week as it will take on CF Montréal (3W-4D-3L, 13 points) on Saturday, July 3. The matchup at Red Bull Arena is set to kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET.

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HEAD COACH PHIL NEVILLE SAID

"I think there have been a lot of disappointments early in the week that we felt after the Orlando game, we got what we thought that our work and our performance deserved. I think there is no time to feel sorry for ourselves and sometimes you learn from your own book and you earn the three points that are on the table for you. I think what the players learned this week is to maintain the levels in the last two games and in the last three or four weeks of training," said head coach Phil Neville. "I think we set the benchmark of our work and the foundations that we want to play and we now know the levels that we can't drop below and absolutely if we keep those levels the results will come. There are 24 games left in the season and 72 points to play for, so there is a long way to go and we realize Saturday is a really big game for us where we have to perform, and if we perform the results will look after itself."

WHERE TO WATCH

The match will be broadcast regionally on UniMás and My33, and the Inter Miami App. Fans worldwide can follow live updates including video highlights and stats on the Club’s App. Download and Register your Profile here: https://www.intermiamicf.com/en/club/app.

SPECIAL EDITION ADIDAS AMERICANA PRE-MATCH TOPS

Inter Miami released the limited edition adidas Americana Pre-Match Tops - available for purchase now on mlsstore.com, the Inter Miami Team Store and Merchandise Truck. The top is part of Major League Soccer's initiative in which all teams in the league wear the pre-match jersey to commemorate Independence Day on July 4. Inter Miami will feature the top during pre-match warmups on Saturday, July 3 when the Club travels to play CF Montréal on the road.

TheAmericana top is the reimagining of the 1994 US World Cup jersey featuring the original red stripes and navy accents. An overlap of sports, style and 21st century culture, the Americana top pays homage to a legacy born from heritage and moved by spirit. 

Fans can grab their own limited edition Americana top by clicking HERE, or in their next trip to DRV PNK Stadium.

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INTER MIAMI’S PREVIOUS MATCH

Inter Miami CF continues its MLS campaign on the road after its narrow 1-2 loss to Orlando City SC on Friday, June 25. Despite the result, there was an electric atmosphere in the stadium during the match as the Club hosted Blackout DRV PNK Stadium presented by Publix.The first 12,000 fans who arrived at DRV PNK Stadium received a Blackout co-branded Publix and Inter Miami t-shirt to wear during the match. Fans were also invited to Be Part of the Show for Inter Miami’s second full-capacity match by participating in the pre-match and halftime ceremony light show with their cell phones.

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ROUND THREE VS. MONTRÉAL

Saturday’s fixture will be the third in Club history and second of the season against CF Montréal. The Canadian side has been playing its home matches at Inter Miami’s DRV PNK Stadium, but since the Club’s stadium will be hosting the Prelims of the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup from July 2 to July 6, the match is set to take place at Red Bull Arena in New Jersey.

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FAMILIAR FACES

The match may also feature reunions between former teammates or rivals for Inter Miami and Montréal players. Ryan Shawcross may face Victor Wanyama again after playing against him for five years in the Premier League and an EFL Cup during his tenure at Stoke City. Defender Kelvin Leerdam also played against Wanyama twice in UEFA Europa League qualification matches during his time as a Vitesse Arnhem player. 

Jay Chapman may face former Canada teammate Samuel Piette, who he played alongside from 2011 to 2020 at various levels of the national team. Chapman also shared the pitch on the international level with Kamal Miller in 2020. Brek Shea may also face former rival Piette, who he played against in an international CONCACAF match for the United States as well as in Canadian Championship games that also featured rival Rudy Camacho. 

Brek Shea may also meet former teammate Erik Hurtado. The duo shared the pitch in 19 matches during the defender’s time with the Vancouver Whitecaps. Including several Canadian Championship games against Inter Miami midfielder Jay Chapman during his stint with Toronto FC. 

Inter Miami players Gonzalo Higuaín and Rodolfo Pizarro may face Honduran rival Romell Quioto. Higuaín could face Quioto after they matched up in an International Friendly in 2016 where the forward scored the game’s only goal. Pizarro played against Quito in the quarterfinals of the 2017 Gold Cup for the Mexican National team. Federico Higuaín, Leerdam and Leandro González Pirez have previously played against Quioto in MLS action at different points during their careers.

Lastly, Julián Carranza faced Joaquín Torres once in an Argentine Superliga match in 2018, with Carranza 's Banfield defeating Torres’ Newell 's Old Boys.

CF MONTRÉAL'S RECORD

CF Montréal enters the match after a 1-1 draw on the road against Nashville in their last match. So far in 2021, the side has recorded three wins, four draws and three losses, with forward Mason Toye leading the side with three goals so far this season.