3 Observations from Inter Miami's Rotated Game vs. Atlanta United

Just five games left in the regular season.

photo credit: Inter Miami CF

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Inter Miami continues its march to the Supporters Shield with a 2-2 draw away at Atlanta United.

Goals from David Ruiz and Leonardo Campana seal a point for the Herons despite the heavily rotated side.

With Lionel Messi, Jordi Alba, and Luis Suárez on the bench to start the match and several suspensions and injuries, Miami went into Atlanta with a mix mash of Academy and depth players who’ve rarely gotten minutes this season.

Lining up in a 4-3-3, in the first 45, Miami looked to absorb pressure then hit on the counter.

It worked for some time, with Ruiz getting on the scoresheet early. Atlanta eventually returned with their own goals, scoring in the 56th and 84th minute.

Fortunately, thanks to Leo Campana’s deflected goal in the 59th minute, Atlanta’s comeback was moot as the Herons managed to escape with a draw.

Here are Three Observations from Miami’s draw versus. Atlanta.

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1.) Inter Miami’s Depth Held Up for The Most Part

photo credit: Inter Miami CF

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After a tough clash against the Philadelphia Union early in the week, it was only natural that Miami would rotate some players out of the lineup.

Luis Suárez, Jordi Alba, Lionel Messi, and Federico Redondo all had the opportunity to rest their legs ahead of a busy week and a half for the squad.

David Ruiz, Franco Negri, and Leo Campana stepped up for the team, notching key goal contributions during the match.

The Inter Miami of yesteryear would’ve likely lost that game, but thanks to the roster build from Miami’s front office, the club has enough quality off the bench to squeeze out a draw even under the most uncomfortable circumstances.

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2.) Marcelo Weigandt Had a Good Match

'Chelo' Weigandt has been sparking some heated discussions among IMCF fans as of late.

His hot and cold performances down the stretch have made it difficult to truly judge his time at Inter Miami so far.

However, his defensive hustle against Atlanta saved Miami from another loss. The Argentine was a crucial player in defense, ending the game with nine clearances, four recoveries, and one interception.

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3.) Turf Looks Like the Most Annoying Surface to Play On

photo credit: Inter Miami CF

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There are a handful of teams in Major League Soccer that play on an artificial surface, Atlanta United is one of them.

While it’s each team’s prerogative what they want to do with their home field, it’s obvious that Inter Miami is a team that doesn’t play their best football on a fast surface like turf.

While positional errors and fatigue did play a role in the Heron’s bittersweet draw, the slick texture of the pitch made the game incredibly stretched out and pacey. Something that the Herons were looking to avoid after a short week of rest.

This isn’t an excuse for Miami’s moments of poor play, but rather one of the many reasons (fatigue, heavy rotation) why the men in pink looked sloppy in this match compared to others.

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Thought Miami could’ve gotten more out of the match? Let me know in the comments.