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Inter Miami’s Martino Blames Referee Following Draw with NYCFC
Inter Miami head coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino expressed his discontent with the officiating during the recent match against New York City FC at Yankee Stadium, which ended in a 1-1 draw. In the aftermath of the heated confrontation, Martino noted that the game “lacked a good referee.”
Throughout the match, Inter Miami players received five of the nine yellow cards issued, and during the second half, an assistant coach for Miami was shown a red card and expelled from the bench. This disciplinary action means that players Noah Allen and Federico Redondo will miss the upcoming match against Charlotte FC on September 28 due to yellow card accumulation.
Martino firmly stated, “The team didn’t lack anything, but the match lacked a good referee.” His main grievance stemmed from the referee’s decision not to call a foul when Inter Miami defender Yannick Bright fell in the box. This incident occurred right before NYCFC midfielder James Sands scored a last-minute equalizer.
The first goal of the game came in the 75th minute, when substitute Leo Campana found the back of the net. A key play was initiated by superstar Lionel Messi, who advanced the ball and passed it to Jordi Alba. Alba then made a swift pass to a wide-open Campana, who successfully finished the scoring opportunity.
New York City FC managed to equalize during the fifth minute of stoppage time, thanks to a well-placed corner kick from Santiago Rodríguez. Sands found himself unmarked at the six-yard line and headed the ball just inside the near post, securing a draw for the home side.
This matchup drew an impressive crowd of 44,738 spectators to Yankee Stadium, marking the second-highest attendance record in NYCFC’s history. Previously, the two teams had also played to a 1-1 draw in Miami on March 30.
Despite these consecutive draws against both Atlanta United and New York City FC, Inter Miami remains at the top of the Eastern Conference and the Supporters’ Shield standings, boasting 64 points from 30 games.
To secure the Supporters’ Shield, Miami needs to collect eight points from their final four matches. If they manage to earn ten points, they will set a new Major League Soccer record for the most points acquired in a single season. The current record stands at 73 points, established by the New England Revolution in 2021.
Inter Miami will return to action next Saturday, hosting Charlotte FC at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Source: Associated Press
