Inter Miami secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Charlotte FC, despite playing most of the match with 10 men following Oscar Ustari’s first-half red card.
Tadeo Allende’s clinical finish early in the second half proved to be the difference as Miami’s disciplined defensive display kept Charlotte at bay.
Miami controlled the majority of possession in the early stages, but clear-cut chances were scarce. The hosts’ best opportunity in the opening exchanges came in the 13th minute when a deflected cross from Allende found Benjamin Cremaschi, whose powerful effort was comfortably saved by Kristijan Kahlina.
Charlotte’s best moments came through Wilfried Zaha, who was a lively presence on the left flank. However, he found himself frequently isolated, with Miami doubling up on him whenever he threatened to break free.
The game’s turning point came in the 38th minute when Ustari saw red for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity. Zaha was played through on goal and took a neat touch past the Miami goalkeeper, who recklessly rushed off his line and brought him down outside the box.
The referee showed no hesitation in brandishing the red card, and a VAR review confirmed the decision. Miami were forced to reshuffle, bringing on Rocco Rios Novo as a replacement goalkeeper at the expense of Cremaschi.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, Miami kept the scoreline goalless at the break. Charlotte had enjoyed more possession but failed to register a shot on target in the first 45 minutes.
Miami came flying out of the blocks in the second half and needed just a minute to break the deadlock. Rios Novo launched a long ball forward, and Allende did brilliantly to control it before laying it off to Luis Suarez with a clever backheel.
GANAMOS 👊➕3️⃣ pic.twitter.com/zeECYzEuJO
— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) March 9, 2025
The Uruguayan, showing his class, dinked an exquisite pass over the top, allowing Allende to run in behind the Charlotte defence and finish into the bottom corner.
Despite having a man advantage, Charlotte struggled.. Their attacking play was disjointed. The visitors’ best chance came in the 79th minute when Idan Toklomati made a surging run through Miami’s defence before firing a low shot across goal.
With Rios Novo stranded, the ball agonisingly clipped the outside of the post and rolled out of play.
As the match wore on, Miami sat deeper, inviting pressure from Charlotte. Yannick Bright produced a crucial intervention in the 84th minute, sliding in to dispossess Zaha in the box just as he was about to pull the trigger.
Charlotte’s frustration grew as and by the 90th minute, they still had not registered a single shot on goal. Their final chance came in stoppage time when they won a corner, but the delivery was poor, allowing Miami to clear comfortably.
Despite going down to 10 men, Inter Miami showcased remarkable defensive discipline and determination to secure the three points.
The win means Javier Mascherano’s side did not have to risk Lionel Messi ahead of their Concacaf Champions Cup clash against Cavalier.
