Prediction: Inter Miami vs Nashville SC

Verdict: Total goals over 2.5

Best odds: 8/15

Bookmaker: Betfair

Looking to climb to the summit of the MLS Eastern Conference, Nashville SC head to Chase Stadium in Florida for a Sunday clash against Inter Miami.

This will be the first encounter between the two sides in just over a year, when the Herons earned a 2-1 away win over the Boys in Gold.

Inter Miami

Since their heavy 4-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the FIFA Club World Cup round of 16, Inter Miami have responded strongly with back-to-back MLS away victories over CF Montreal and New England Revolution in just five days.

The Herons overturned a deficit to hammer Montreal 4-1 last weekend, followed by a narrow 2-1 win against New England on Wednesday. Lionel Messi has now set a new MLS benchmark by scoring multiple goals in four consecutive matches, registering exactly two goals in each, including a first-half double in his most recent outing.

Head coach Javier Mascherano praised the contribution of the Argentine star, calling Messi a “special player” and acknowledging how “lucky” the team is to have him. Messi has now scored a team-leading 14 goals in 15 MLS appearances, propelling Inter Miami into fifth place in the Eastern Conference, seven points adrift of leaders Cincinnati, but with three games in hand.

A return of 13 points from a possible 15 has strengthened Inter Miami’s position in the playoff race and bolstered their hopes of defending the Eastern Conference title. However, their resilience will be tested in the coming weeks, with fixtures against current leaders Cincinnati (twice) and second-placed Nashville coming in three of their next four matches.

Inter Miami will be confident ahead of Sunday’s contest, having avoided defeat in their last seven meetings with Nashville across all competitions, including three consecutive victories by a combined scoreline of 8-3.

Team News

Mascherano revealed he had intended to rest Messi against New England but ended up playing him the full match. He has since stated that the 38-year-old “will need to be given a break at some point.”

Despite that, Messi may still lead the attack alongside Luis Suarez, though Tadeo Allende and Allen Obando are among the attacking options Mascherano could turn to if rotation is required.

Goalkeeper Oscar Ustari is a slight injury concern after sustaining a knock in midweek, while Benjamin Cremaschi will hope to reclaim a starting role in midfield next to Sergio Busquets, possibly replacing Federico Redondo.

Nashville SC

Nashville SC extended their remarkable club-record unbeaten streak across all competitions to 15 matches (W11 D4) after overturning a two-goal deficit to defeat DC United 5-2 at home in the US Open Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday.

A double from the in-form Sam Surridge, along with strikes from Jonathan Perez, Andy Najar, and Walker Zimmerman, completed the comeback, setting up a semi-final clash against either Philadelphia Union or New York Red Bulls. The Boys in Gold are now one step closer to becoming Tennessee’s first professional sports team to win a major trophy.

BJ Callaghan’s men must wait until mid-September for their next Open Cup fixture and will now turn their attention back to league action. They have won five of their last seven MLS games (D2), including back-to-back 1-0 victories over DC United and Philadelphia.

Having finished 13th in the Eastern Conference in 2024, Nashville now sit second in the current standings with 42 points from 21 matches—already five more than they managed over 34 games last season—and trail only Cincinnati by a single point.

The Boys in Gold head to Florida this weekend on the back of a six-game unbeaten run away from home in MLS, having scored 10 goals during that stretch. However, they have not won any of their last four visits to Inter Miami, with their most recent victory there being a 5-1 triumph in September 2021.

Team News

Nashville will be without Tyler Boyd, Maximus Ekk, Taylor Washington (all knee injuries), and Tate Schmitt (hamstring), while Wyatt Meyer (hamstring) and Jacob Shaffelburg (hip) face late fitness tests ahead of Sunday’s match.

Jonathan Perez is suspended following a red card in the previous league outing against Philadelphia, which could see Ahmed Qasem return to the starting XI on the right wing, with Alex Muyl expected to feature on the left.

Sam Surridge leads the MLS scoring charts with 16 goals and has found the net 10 times in his last seven games. The English striker will once again be partnered in attack by captain Hany Mukhtar, who has nine goals and eight assists this season and has contributed to at least one goal in each of his past seven appearances.

Conclusion

A lively, end-to-end encounter is likely this weekend between two of MLS’s most prolific attacking sides. Inter Miami have scored the second-highest number of goals (42) despite having played three fewer matches, while Nashville rank sixth with a total of 37 goals.

The hosts will understandably be tipped as favourites, particularly if Messi remains in the starting lineup. However, Nashville’s impressive recent form makes them strong contenders, and they stand a genuine chance of earning at least a point—especially if Surridge and Mukhtar maintain their clinical edge in Florida.

Verdict: Total goals over 2.5

Best odds: 8/15

Bookmaker: Betfair