Inter Miami is entering a crucial matchup with a direct rival for an Eastern Conference playoff spot when it takes on the Montreal Impact. A win would see Inter Miami jump Montreal in the standings and move closer to playoff qualification, but the team is prepared to handle the high stakes affair.
“It’s important when you’re playing against your direct rivals to try and get the win and three points because they act like a six-pointer. If we can pick up three, Montreal loses three and we’re right there in the playoff picture,” said Lewis Morgan. “We just need to keep performing the way we’re performing and trying to take maximum points from the remaining games.
“The games are running out. There are five games left in the season, so every single game is important starting with the game we have tomorrow against a direct rival...At the moment we don’t occupy one of the playoff spaces. We know all the other teams around us, there’s probably six or seven teams fighting to get in, so we know everyone is going to be pushing. We need to make sure that we’re doing our best to take as many points as we can starting with tomorrow. With the run of form we’ve been on we have momentum on our side and we need to try to keep that going.”
Manager Diego Alonso, meanwhile, is conscious of the team’s continued improvement and is looking forward to what the team can do in the final stretch of the season while keeping an eye towards the playoffs.
“Little by little the team has improved. We’re on a good path. Fútbol wise, I think the team is reaching maximum level. I think we can keep giving more, but I think we’re competing with the best teams in the league,” said Alonso. “If you watch the other teams’ matches and you see them play, I think that today we can compete with any of them, with those at the top of our conference or those at the top of the other conference. Unfortunately, we’re at a deficit because of how we started the season and we have to deal with that. Hopefully we can qualify for the playoffs because we’re aware of the fact that we’re capable of competing with anybody.”
Morgan will look to continue his blistering run of form, as he registered another assist in the team’s last match, bringing his total to six on the season, the most on the team. The Scottish winger also leads the team with five goals. While he has excelled on a personal level, the team has also found success in recent weeks, putting together an unbeaten run of three heading into Saturday’s matchup with Montreal.
“The one thing I think we can take from the recent games is that we are creating so many more chances. Obviously, Gonzalo [Higuaín] coming in has been a massive factor in that. He helps us a lot up there,” said Morgan of the team’s recent success.
“What we’ve seen is that the team is generating a lot of chances. I think that some of the chances have been clear and others haven’t,” added Alonso. “What we have to do is attack the last line of defense a little more, attack a little deeper in their territory and be more aggressive attacking the opponent’s last line.”
