Inter Miami CF II (6W-14L-6D, 25 points) earned a hard-fought two points on the road, defeating Eastern Conference leaders New York Red Bulls II (16W-5L-5D, 55 points) in a penalty shootout. A standout performance from goalkeeper Matias Marin, who produced three crucial saves across regulation and penalties, along with a second-half equalizer from forward Diego Rey, propelled Inter Miami II to its first shootout victory of the MLS NEXT Pro regular season.
Lineup Notes
Inter Miami CF II took the pitch with Marin in goal; Tyler Hall, Daniel Sumalla, Nicholas Almeida, and captain Cesar Abadia-Reda made up a back line of four; Idoh Zeltzer-Zubida, Alexander Shaw, Ricardo Montenegro, and Alejandro Flores in the midfield; Rey and Mateo Saja leading the team’s attack.
Match Action
Inter Miami II faced an aggressive pressure from the hosts from the start, and New York Red Bulls II capitalized in the 12th minute, after a loose ball outside the box was deflected into the goal to take a 1-0 advantage. Inter Miami II absorbed pressure well and maintained composure through the first half, keeping the deficit to just one through the halftime whistle.
The second half saw a shift in momentum, with Inter Miami II finding its attacking rhythm. Fresh legs from substitutes Preston Plambeck and Santiago Ledesma sparked the comeback. In the 77th minute, Ledesma delivered a precise long ball to Plambeck, who cut into the area and squared it for Rey to find the equalizer.
Just minutes later, RBNY II were awarded a penalty, but Marin rose to the occasion, diving to deny the spot kick and preserve the 1-1 scoreline through 90 minutes.
Then, all Inter Miami II takers then converted from the spot in the shootout - Sumalla, Saja, Almeida, and Plambeck - netted, clinching a 3-4 penalty shootout win. Goalkeeper Marin also delivered two heroic stops in the shootout.
Next Match
Next, Inter Miami II will travel to face Huntsville City FC for its last away fixture of the MLS NEXT Pro regular season on Sunday, Sept. 28 at 8 p.m. ET at Wicks Family Field.
