Inter Miami, desperate for a win after five losses in a row, will have a new look when it faces the Houston Dynamo on the road Saturday night.
For one thing, the team will not be in its usual colors. Instead of pink and black the team will be wearing mint green adidas “One Planet” jerseys made of recycled materials for the 8:30 p.m. game (AppleTV MLS Season Pass) as part of the MLS Earth Day initiative.
Also, there is a chance at least one of two new players – Ecuadorian midfielder Dixon Arroyo – will have his international work clearance and be able to play.
Arroyo and Canadian newcomer Kamal Miller, a center back traded from CF Montreal, were still awaiting clearance late this week. Arroyo, a 30-year-old defensive midfielder who plays for Ecuador’s national team, was brought in to replace injured Miami captain Gregore, out six months with a foot injury. He trained with the team and impressed coach Phil Neville and teammates with his calm demeanor, leadership, and willingness to tackle.
Neville said there was a “100 percent” chance there would be lineup changes from the starting unit that lost 1-0 to Dallas at home two weeks ago.
Miller, who played in the 2022 World Cup, will challenge Christopher McVey for a starting job on the back line.
Inter Miami (2-5-0) is coming off a bye week and determined to get back on track after the five-game slide. Despite the addition of former MLS MVP Josef Martinez, the team has struggled to score and dropped to 12th place in the Eastern Conference. Martinez, one of the most prolific scorers in MLS history, has yet to score in six games in a Miami shirt (he missed one game while on duty with Venezuela’s national team, and scored in that game).
Forward Leo Campana missed the first six games with a calf injury, returned for the home game against Dallas two weeks ago, but did not score.
“In spite of everything, team morale is good,” Campana said. “We dominated most of the games but have trouble scoring. But we are all united and determined to win. I am anxious to return to the field on Saturday. I came away a little frustrated [from the Dallas game] because as forwards we are there to score and I didn’t. I hadn’t played since October, but I feel good and am focusing on the positives.”
Midfielder Rodolfo Pizarro is looking forward to facing fellow Mexican Herrero.
“It’s been tough to have a very good start and then have this streak, but we know we have the team to turn things around and return to how we were playing at the start,” Pizarro said. “We have to be more creative, go forward, and create more chances.”
The Dynamo (3-3-1) has won all three home games to start the Ben Olsen era and get Mexican star midfielder Hector Herrera back from his red-card suspension. France native Amine Bassi leads Houston with five goals in six games.
“Ben has done fantastically well turning around a team that struggled last year,” Neville said. “He strengthened, has them organized, they’ve won their home games, and are playing a good style.”
Two Miami players, goalkeeper Drake Callender and right back DeAndre Yedlin, will be back with the team after spending Sunday through Wednesday in Arizona on U.S. national team duty for the 1-1 tie against Mexico. Yedlin played 90 minutes. Callender, in his first U.S. camp, did not play, but Neville expects both to come back energized.
“I’ve been an international manager, and when players go away with international teams, they mix with the elite, perform with the elite, are in an elite environment and hopefully, when they come back, they will spread that eliteness to our group,” Neville said. “I hope Drake learned from the other goalkeepers and the U.S. coaches. He’s playing with the best defenders on the U.S. team, and he comes back an even better player.”
After the Houston game, Inter Miami faces USL team Miami FC on Wednesday at FIU Stadium in the third round of the U.S. Open Cup. Tickets are available at intermiamicf.com and miamifc.com
Note: Inter Miami promoted its One Planet jersey alongside a great hammerhead shark, completing a three-part campaign to promote responsible plastic use and the positive impact it can have on our ocean habitat. The club is also teaming up with University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science to raise awareness about the importance of sharks to the ocean ecosystem and participate in shark conservation.
This story was originally published April 21, 2023 2:20 PM.