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Callender shines, but Inter Miami feels regrets after 0-0 tie on road at Philadelphia

Taking a point from a road game against one of the top teams in the league typically would satisfy Inter Miami coach Phil Neville and his players. But they left Wednesday’s scoreless tie against the Philadelphia Union with regrets.

Miami got outstanding goalkeeping from Drake Callender, who made eight saves and was voted Man of the Match, but the team squandered scoring chances and failed to secure a much-needed victory.

Desperate to score and get three points on the road, Neville brought in Gonzalo Higuain and energetic Emerson in the final 10 minutes, but neither was able to make a difference.

“I suppose when you come to a team like Philadelphia and get a point you should be happy about that but the team feels as if we dropped two points,” Neville said. “We feel we controlled the game. I know they had 20 shots on goal, but we played really good football. The bit that we’re all frustrated with is when we had chances we didn’t make that final pass, that final shot. I wanted us to be more ruthless.”

Neville is pleased that the team is playing with more confidence than early in the season, and with a clear identity, but the wins have been hard to come by.

The Union, which moved into first place in the Eastern Conference with the draw, had 20 shots on the night, including eight on frame. Miami, which inched up to 12th place in the standings with three wins, six losses and three ties, had nine shots on goal with only two on target.

In the final minutes Philadelphia players repeatedly got in and around the Miami box and peppered Callender with shots, but he held steady and never lost his composure.

Crafty midfielder Bryce Duke had a great chance to put Miami ahead early in the second half, taking a pass from Robert Taylor and staring at an open look, but he launched it over the cross bar. Duke also missed another chance later in the game.

Leo Campana, who had been on fire with five goals over four games, was held scoreless and was replaced in the 69th minute by Higuain, who has been relegated to the bench in recent weeks. Higuain hung around the goal area trying to get in scoring position, but Inter Miami was unable to put the finishing touches on several passing sequences.

The most significant change in the Inter Miami starting lineup was the absence of U.S. national team right back DeAndre Yedlin, who had played every game this season. He was held out to get some rest as the team has a crowded upcoming schedule. Veteran Victor Ulloa started in his place.

Also, coach Phil Neville opted to start Indiana Vassilev on the wing in place of Ariel Lassiter. Yedlin and Lassiter came off the bench together in the 62nd minute to add speed to the flanks.

Neville explained after that Yedlin was gassed at the end of the previous game and needed some rest. “We’ve got three massive games, and the energy with which he plays, he needs to be fresh. I felt in the past couple of games he was running on empty.”

The coach said he chose to start the team’s most technical attacking players – Robert Taylor, Vassilev, Duke, Jean Mota, Gregore, and Campana – because he wanted to possess the ball. “I wanted to flood them all over the pitch with technical players,” Neville said. The tactic worked, but didn’t result in any goals.

Miami played a good first half, controlling possession 59 percent to 41 percent and taking five shots, one on target. The Union had more scoring opportunities with four shots on frame, but good reflexes by Callender and center back Damion Lowe kept the game scoreless.

Callender, playing in place of injured Nick Marsman for the fourth game in a row, continued to make big saves and build a case for battling Marsman for the starting role when the Dutchman recovers from his back injury. Marsman is an experienced leader known for his footwork and ball delivery. Callender is a talented shot-stopper whom Neville has lauded for his knack for catching the ball.

“It’s something I always try to do as a keeper, catch the ball, because it kills the play, doesn’t give the opponent the chance to score on a rebound,” Callender said. “I’m getting more confident with experience and overall I’m content but there’s still a lot to learn.”

Callender finished with his first clean sheet in his four MLS starts.

“Drake catches the ball in modern day football, when keepers are punching and parrying,” Neville said. “He catches, makes saves look easy. The save in the first half when he spread himself to keep us from going down early was fantastic. He fully deserves Man of the Match and to keep his position for the match Sunday.

“We always felt he had the attributes, now he’s getting the confidence and belief.”

The one time Callender made a weak clearance in the first half, Lowe was there to save him, heading out was surely would have been the go-ahead goal.

Philadelphia had lost just one of its 11 games before Wednesday, but five of those ended in ties.

Inter Miami winger Robbie Robinson missed his second game in a row under concussion protocol. Also missing were Kieran Gibbs (groin), Marsman (back), and Aime Mabika (hamstring). Right back Backup goalkeeper Clement Diop stayed home to deal with citizenship paperwork.

Next up for Inter Miami is a home game Sunday at 6:30 p.m. against New York Red Bulls, a team whose roster includes former Miami MVP Lewis Morgan.