Mascherano demands attacking improvements from underperforming Miami

Javier Mascherano says determination volition beryllium nary excuses for Inter Miami’s attacking shortfalls erstwhile they adjacent sojourn the San Jose Earthquakes successful MLS action.

Miami were hammered 4-1 by Minnesota United successful their past outing, dropping down to 4th successful the Eastern Conference aft conscionable their 2nd league decision this season.

Lionel Messi reduced the arrears to 2-1 aft a first-half treble stroke from Minnesota but the hosts deed backmost with different 2 strikes aft the interval to unafraid a crushing win.

Mascherano elected not to tract a striker against Minnesota aft Luis Suarez had to miss the lucifer owed to “personal reasons”.

The Miami brag refused to blasted the deficiency of an out-and-out striker connected the defeat, however, pointing to a wide conflict for space.

“It’s precise hard to find clarity erstwhile there’s nary space,” helium said. “Of course, that’s not an excuse – we person to enactment connected that.

“The hostile did well, and we struggled. We had immoderate chances, but each clip we attacked, they wounded america severely successful transition.”

The erstwhile Argentina and Barcelona defender volition beryllium hopeless for his broadside to find attacking answers, though was near acrophobic with a deficiency of antiaircraft extortion arsenic well.

“Unfortunately, it’s a pugnacious decision for america because, contempt everything, we knew Minnesota could wounded america successful this way, the mode we had prepared for, and that’s what worries maine the most,” helium added.

“We person to triumph our duels. We privation to beryllium the protagonists and that means taking risks [defensively], but we are losing the shot successful modulation and the hostile gets counters of 50 to 60 meters.

“We person to amended connected that.”

San Jose are seventh successful the Western Conference aft a 2-0 triumph implicit the Colorado Rapids made it back-to-back MLS wins.

Former Miami striker Josef Martinez volition beryllium a acquainted look for San Jose, who are coached by erstwhile United States men’s nationalist squad brag Bruce Arena.

Regardless of who Miami face, Mascherano knows his broadside request to get backmost connected track.

“If the players’ show levels drop, clearly, the work falls connected me, the coach,” Mascherano said.

“If the manager does not person them oregon instil successful them what helium is asking them to do, the work falls connected him.”

Intensity successful question pic.twitter.com/53gjmZHEYv

— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) May 13, 2025

PLAYERS TO WATCH

San Jose Earthquakes – Cristian Arango

Arango has been the standout performer for San Jose this year, with his 8 MLS goals starring the mode for the Earthquakes.

Inter Miami – Lionel Messi

Messi has been progressive successful 5 goals successful 4 vocation matches for nine and state successful California (two goals, 3 assists) but helium failed to lend to a extremity successful his past sojourn to the Golden State, a nonaccomplishment to Los Angeles FC successful the Concacaf Champions Cup successful April.

MATCH PREDICTION: INTER MIAMI WIN

San Jose person won 3 consecutive matches successful each competitions for the archetypal clip successful a year. The Earthquakes past won 4 consecutive games successful each competitions successful July 2019.

The Earthquakes person not won consecutive location matches successful league play successful implicit 2 years, since a three-match winning tally successful April-May 2023.

The lone erstwhile meetings betwixt San Jose and Miami was a 1-0 roadworthy triumph for Miami successful August 2022 connected a extremity from Jean Mota successful the 12th minute.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

San Jose Earthquakes triumph – 24.5%

Inter Miami triumph – 52.6%

Draw – 22.9