Higuain misses penalty on MLS debut, ends up in altercation with opposition player

Argentina striker Gonzalo Higuain sealed a transfer to Major League Soccer (MLS) side Inter Miami a week back after a three-season stint with defending Serie A champions Juventus. The former Turin striker, however, did not enjoy a decent debut as he went on to miss a penalty in the game. Moreover, he ended up in an altercation with a Philadelphia Union player. 

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Higuain MLS debut: Striker misses penalty 

Higuain showed a glimpse of his ability to lead the frontline as he has done with some of the biggest European giants including Real Madrid and Juventus. In the 20th minute, the Argentina international came close to scoring his first goal for the David Beckham-owned club, with a sensational overhead kick attempt. 

However, his dream MLS debut was dampened after he went on to miss a penalty for his side. Inter Miami were trailing 0-2 when in the 77th minute, the club got the opportunity to cut the goal-deficit. Higuain stepped up to take the spot-kick. However, he could not target the ball well, hitting it wayward, much to his embarrassment. 

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Higuain MLS debut: Altercation after penalty miss 

Higuain's opponents of the night went in celebratory mode after the penalty miss, which clearly did not go down well with the former Real Madrid superstar. Higuain ended up in an altercation with Philadelphia defender Jakob Glesnes, which saw several other players getting involved. 

Despite the penalty miss and the altercation, Higuain did not disappoint. The 32-year-old forward showed a glimpse of what could be in the bag for Inter Miami in the coming games as he lasted on the field throughout the course of the game. He had five shots on target, not bad for a player who played his first game since August 6. 

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MLS results: Coach speaks on Higuain MLS debut 

Speaking on the Higuain MLS debut after the game, Inter Miami coach Diego Alonso said, "I think that he showed he was in good conditions. He was very eager to play today. Obviously, the penalty is a situation that could happen to any player — it could have been him, it could have been another player. We’re happy with his work and the work of the team and we need to continue to aim to perform better and minimize mistakes.”

Also Read | MLS results Group B: San Jose claim top spot, Seattle Sounders beat Vancouver

Image courtesy: Inter Miami Twitter