Miami dominates Montreal for first season-opening win

Serhiy Kryvtsov and Shanyder Borgelin scored goals, and Drake Callender made six saves for the shutout as Inter Miami dominated visiting CF Montreal 2-0 on Saturday in the season opener at Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

It's the first time in Inter Miami's four-year history that they began a season with a victory.

- Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)

Montreal endured a trying start to the season after finishing in second place in the Eastern Conference in 2022 in a benchmark campaign.

Callender, who started 24 matches for Miami last season, recorded the fifth clean sheet of his career.

Kryvtsov, a 32-year-old signed from the Ukraine, scored the game's opening goal in the 41st minute off a corner kick. Kryvtsov waited at the far post for a ball that was deflected across the goal mouth by Gregore and directed the ball into the net with his left hip. The play was started in the near corner by Jean Mota.

Montreal nearly tied the game two minutes later when Romell Quioto's header from inside the six-yard box was batted away by Callender.

Borgelin, who entered the game in the 68th minute, added to the Miami lead in the 76th minute with a right-footed shot from the center of the box. The play was started by a shot that was ripped off the right post by Ariel Lassiter, with the rebound bouncing to Borgelin, who was stopped by a save on the line by defender Samuel Piette.

But the ball found its way back to Borgelin and he made the most of his second chance by finding the bottom right corner of the goal.

Miami had 18 shots in the contest and earned advantages in shots on goal (7-6), blocked shots (5-4) and crosses.

Montreal had the ball 55.7 percent to Miami's 44.3 percent and led in passes (440-356), passing accuracy (82.2 percent to 78.7 percent), duels won (60-57) and clearances (17-10).