Inter Miami vs Sporting KC lineups

Breakdown of the Inter Miami vs Sporting KC lineups for their most recent encounter on April 14, 2024, along with insights into key players and tactics:

Match Context:

Competition: Major League Soccer (MLS)
Date: April 14, 2024
Venue: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
Result: Inter Miami CF 3 – 2 Sporting Kansas City

Inter Miami CF (Formation: 4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper:

Drake Callender: The 24-year-old American shot-stopper had a solid performance, making crucial saves throughout the match.

Defenders:

Kelvin Leerdam: The experienced Dutch right-back provided a strong attacking presence down the flank.
Kamal Miller: The Jamaican center-back was a rock at the back, making important clearances and interceptions.
Tomás Avilés: The Argentine center-back partnered well with Miller, maintaining a composed defensive line.
Jordi Alba (Captain): The veteran Spanish left-back displayed his usual attacking flair while contributing defensively.

Midfielders:

DeAndre Yedlin: The American right-winger played a more central role in midfield, offering creativity and work rate.
Sergio Busquets: The legendary Spanish midfielder controlled the tempo of the game, dictating play with his passing and experience.
David Beckham Jr. (David Jr.): The young American midfielder, son of MLS legend David Beckham, showed glimpses of talent but lacked final product.
Federico Martínez: The Uruguayan attacking midfielder was a constant threat, scoring the opening goal for Inter Miami.

Forward:

Luis Suárez: The veteran Uruguayan striker displayed his predatory instincts, scoring the winning goal with a clinical finish.
Lionel Messi: The Argentine superstar was the focal point of Inter Miami’s attack, scoring a goal and creating numerous chances with his dribbling and passing.

Substitutes Used:

Noah Allen (GK): Replaced Callender in the late stages to see out the win.
Ryan Sailor: Came on for Leerdam, providing fresh legs at right-back.
Chris McVey: Offered defensive solidity when replacing David Jr. in midfield.
Lennon Sunderland: Added pace and energy on the wing after replacing Martínez.
Cameron Johnson: Provided an attacking option up front after coming on for Suárez.

Sporting Kansas City (Formation: 4-3-3)

Goalkeeper:

John Pulskamp: The American goalkeeper made some good saves but couldn’t prevent Inter Miami from scoring three goals.

Defenders:

Robert Voloder: The Slovakian right-back struggled to contain Inter Miami’s wingers, particularly Kelvin Leerdam.
Andreu Fontàs: The experienced Spanish center-back had a challenging night against the attacking prowess of Messi and Suárez.
Kortney Cameron: The American center-back made some crucial tackles but couldn’t prevent Inter Miami from breaking through.
Tim Leibold: The German left-back offered some attacking threat but struggled defensively against Jordi Alba.

Midfielders:

Dániel Gazdag: The Hungarian midfielder was influential in central areas, creating chances for Sporting KC.
Remco van Wolfswinkel: The Dutch midfielder provided experience and work rate in midfield.
Felipe Hernández: The Colombian midfielder struggled to control the midfield against the experience of Busquets.

Forwards:

Khiry Shelton: The American forward provided pace and directness on the wing but lacked composure in the final third.
Thaddeus Ebobisse: The Cameroonian forward caused some problems for the Inter Miami defense but couldn’t find the net.
William Agada: The Nigerian forward was largely anonymous throughout the match.

Substitutes Used:

Diego Rubio: The Chilean forward came on for Agada, offering more attacking threat but failing to make a significant impact.
Marques Flores: The American midfielder replaced Hernández, adding energy but failing to change the game’s flow.
Roberto Espinoza: The veteran midfielder provided some experience after coming on for van Wolfswinkel.
Johnny Russell: The Scottish forward offered pace on the wing but couldn’t create clear-cut chances.
Nemanja Radoja: The Serbian midfielder came on late but didn’t have enough time to influence the game.