No Lionel Messi, no Luis Suárez, no problem for Inter Miami CF.
That's because the Herons have plenty of other world-class players to choose from – including fellow FC Barcelona legend Jordi Alba, who scored a stunning, long-range golazo that proved the game-winner in Saturday's 2-1 victory at Nashville SC.
Alba's moment of brilliance followed Ian Fray's second header in as many games as the Herons held on to earn their third win in a row, all three coming amid Messi and Suárez's participation at the 2024 Copa América.
“[I celebrated] as should be celebrated because it was a great goal," head coach Gerardo Martino said postgame of Alba's 44th-minute stunner. "I’m not surprised because he is a player with so much category and quality."
The iconic left back, who started at GEODIS Park alongside fellow Barça alum Sergio Busquets, has picked up his offensive output of late, posting 2g/3a in his last four matches.
"He [Alba] puts me at ease for what he gives the team and the options he gives us in attack and how well he played defensively," added Tata of the 35-year-old. "Jordi is an internationally recognized player and we're lucky to have him on our team."
Gómez returns
In more good news for the Herons, Paraguayan midfielder Diego Gómez was back in the starting XI for the first time since injuring his ankle in late April. The 21-year-old went 80 minutes and played alongside fellow U22 Initiative signing Federico Redondo, who also returned to the lineup after missing the club's last two games.
“I believe we had a very good first half, we controlled the whole thing,” Martino said of his team’s performance. “In the second half, we did not control the ball the same way as the first half, especially when Nashville had a line of three, [but] we didn’t suffer.
".. I think in the end we won the game rather well."
