Heron Talk presented by Gallagher
Inter Miami CF continues its push for a playoff spot ahead of the team’s final road match of the 2022 MLS regular season in Canada, facing Toronto FC for the second time this season. The Club has embraced the challenge ahead, with forward Leonardo Campana expressing belief in the team’s efforts.
“I believe in what we can achieve. I think we are doing really well,” said Campana. “Training sessions have been good and on the pitch, I think you can see we are a team that believes in ourselves and we will achieve [qualification to] the playoffs, which is our first goal.”
Head coach Phil Neville also stated his belief, sharing that his mindset is to target all of the available points through the remainder of the campaign.
“We approach the last week of the season in probably a spot that we would want to be in. We are in seventh position. We’ve got to attack the last three games like we’ve attacked the last month or two; we’ve got to go for nine points,” said Neville.
Heading into Friday’s match against Toronto, Inter Miami is in the seventh and final spot in the Eastern Conference playoff race just above the Columbus Crew. Campana shared that the camaraderie of the team has strengthened over the season, and expressed how excited the team is to secure as many points as possible before the end of the season.
“I think we are going to push ourselves to our maximum capacity. I think we have nothing to lose. If you see from the start of the season we are a new team,” Campana continued. “The team brought 18 new players and now this isn’t the same as it was at the start of the season. I think we have a good family, we are good friends on and off of the pitch, and I think we are on a great path because we are excited.”
The implications of the match against Toronto will go a long way in determining seeding in the Eastern Conference ahead of Inter Miami’s final two home games against Orlando City SC and CF Montréal. Friday’s match will also offer a homecoming for Alejandro Pozuelo, the former Landon Donovan MLS MVP, who began his MLS career in Toronto and starred for the team before this summer’s transfer to join the Herons.
“I am happy to return to Toronto. We’ve played them but at home, and now we’re traveling to face them at their home, to my home for three and a half years,” said Pozuelo. “I am very excited to see the friends I left in Toronto and really excited to play there again. Hopefully, we can get those three points because we are getting close to the end of the season and playoffs, and for us, it’s very important.”
Inter Miami CF faces Toronto FC on the road at BMO Field, on Friday, Sept. 30 at 7:30 p.m. ET. The critical away match will be broadcasted on TV33, UniMás, and the Inter Miami App, and locally on the radio on 790 AM The Ticket.
