PBP: 2023 Leagues Cup Semifinals: Union vs. Inter Miami CF, August 15, 2023 p/d/p

I did not even notice

By the way, thanks for continuing to post these thread starters!

 

I'll be pleasantly surprised if they pull this off. We're talking Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba, and Lionel freaking Messi. It really isn't fair to the rest of the league that one team is allowed to just be subsidized by everyone to this level.

If they do win this, Jim is a god.

 

Yea thats the real kick in the balls. It's one thing to bring Messi, its a whole 'nother level to grab a few of his buddies on the way. This sounds Maddenesque but for the Union to win they have to score. It's been a while so hopefully they are due.

 

I'm all for the league easing the draconian roster restrictions at this point in MLS' growth—even if it will hurt our club due to how our ownership spend their money—but I'm not content with the way it appears Miami has been treated with partiality under the current rules.

 

There is an article about it on the Atlantic that I didn't read because of the paywall but from the comments I saw it seems one of the results of all the moves and trades they had to make because of sanctions from cheating ironically left them with a shit load of allocation money to help them make the moves and pay downs and yeet whomever etc to get Messi and his buddies. They are probably still cheating somehow but it looks like they basically did a mini "The Process" (forced by sanctions) cap wise and then were able to max out every bullshit cap/roster $$ mechanism available to super stack the team in one go.

 

https://theathletic.com/4775474/2023/08/14/inter-miami-roster-analysis-messi/

I forgot you could get around the paywall sometimes with safaris reader view. After reading the article myself I think they definitely are cheating but so it goes.

 

Lionel Messi and @InterMiamiCF have arrived to Philadelphia. 👀

They face @PhilaUnion in @LeaguesCup semis Tuesday night. 🍿 pic.twitter.com/0VD6j0X4DS

— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) August 14, 2023

Julian Carranza picked up a Grade 1 hamstring strain.

"Best news we probably could've got." - Curtin

Curtin says Carranza still wants to participate in some capacity tomorrow.

— Joe Tansey (@JTansey90) August 14, 2023

 

So..... I wonder.... given this from the other night....

Jack McGlynn channeling his inner Sergio Busquets with this 1 timed pass to split the cm’s. Ridiculous skill to do it with the outside of his L foot too. So so good from the #Doop homegrown CM. Not to mention the rest of the play. @JackMcGlynn7 is a certified baller. https://t.co/CNANW5rFgU pic.twitter.com/hg6DjBQ9jg

— MLS Gone Wild ⭐️ (@MLSGoneWild) August 14, 2023

Does Jim put Gazdag up top with Uhre to start the game, with McGlynn, El Brujo and ChuChu in the MF triangle?

 

Just win. That's all I'm asking. I don't care if Messi gets a hat trick. Just score one more than them.

 

Streams for those who don't have Apple TV.

 

An injured Carranza is a problem.

 

2 mins: Philly 0 - 1 Miami

Woah! Martinez!

 

19 mins: Philly 0 - 2 Miami

Messi from 30 yards! Great goal.

What can't he do?! 🐐

Make it NINE goals in six games for Leo Messi. pic.twitter.com/HLf3zBFTmV

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) August 15, 2023

 

Three nil to IM.

Union playing scared. Formation isn't working. That's so Union.

That said...I remember almost turning off the 2005 Champion's League Final because AC Milan had absolutely blown Liverpool off of the pitch in Istanbul in the first half. Then came 6 minutes of madness, as Carlos Ancelotti called it.

 

Half-time: Philly 0 - 3 Miami

 

That's So Union.

The Union have now lost/been eliminated in the SemiFinals 6 Times: (MLS Playoffs: 2021; Champions League: 2021, 2023; US Open Cup: 2012; Champions Cup: 2023; MLS is Back Tourney: 2020) and have lost in the Finals 4 Times: (MLS Cup: 2022; US Open Cup: 2014, 2015, 2018)

I'm just thankful this was a blowout and we didn't make it close (similar to the 2018 US Open Cup). Less despair.

Sadly, we don't have Gerrard running out as a sub for the 2nd half.

 

https://archive.ph/
Enter the url to get the article

 

Glad I sold my tickets for this shit show. Made some bank and didn't have to watch this in person. Out coached, out played, really out owned

 

There is now no team in MLS that has the quality of Miami. The Union created chances, but were simply outclassed. It is what it is.

Interested to see how the roster salary rules will change. Other teams are going to want to increase their quality in order to compete with Miami. If teams spend wisely (i.e., not like TFC), I think such changes will benefit the league; however, these changes may also risk pushing the Union down a peg given their overall financial model and roster building philosophy.

 

Wrong choice starting Donovan. Early mistake didn't help. Union did a good job limiting Messi but that opened up the game for the rest of the team.

Hopefully they can clinch 3rd place but there is always the regular season.

 

Well the league got what they wanted. Miami is in the final. Hopefully since Monterrey are already qualified for CCL they’ll be disinterested in playing on Saturday.

 

That went about how I expected.