Verdict: Away win
Best odds: 7/5
Bookmaker: Olympusbet
On Wednesday, a state rivalry in Florida will be reignited as Orlando City hosts Inter Miami at Inter and Co Stadium in MLS play.
The Lions snapped a three-game winless streak last weekend with a close 3-2 win against the Philadelphia Union, whereas the Herons secured their fifth consecutive victory in the league, beating CF Montreal 3-2.
Orlando City
Over the weekend, Orlando City delivered a thrilling performance, securing only their third victory of the regular season and climbing to 11th in the Eastern Conference, just two points shy of the Philadelphia Union for the last play-off spot.
Remarkably, eight of their 12 MLS points this season have been earned after conceding the opening goal, while they’ve lost two of their last three domestic matches when scoring first.
In 2024, the Lions have only managed two points from four home games against Eastern Conference rivals, with their sole victory at Inter and Co Stadium this year being a 2-0 win over Austin FC.
Despite Oscar Pareja’s team being just two points behind the Philadelphia Union for the final play-off berth in the Eastern Conference, they have yet to secure back-to-back league wins this year.
Since conceding three goals to Minnesota United in early March, the Lions have allowed one goal or none in three of their last four home games.
A loss on Wednesday would result in their first three-game home losing streak in this competition since the end of 2022.
Team News
Rafael Santos missed the last Orlando match due to a shoulder injury, Tahir Reid-Brown was sidelined with a thigh problem, and Ramiro Enrique was absent because of an ankle issue.
Rodrigo Schlegel is available to return after missing the weekend game due to suspension, and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, cleared from concussion protocol, replaced Martin Ojeda just past the hour mark.
Duncan McGuire scored his sixth goal of the season on Saturday, bringing his total to 21, tying him with Tesho Akindele for the seventh-most in club history. Luis Muriel also netted his first two goals for the Lions since his transfer from Serie A’s Atalanta.
Inter Miami
In 2024, the Herons have embodied the “down but not out” narrative, showcasing their indomitable spirit by rallying from early deficits, a trend they continued on Saturday.
Under Tata Martino’s guidance, the team has grown accustomed to conceding early goals before staging impressive comebacks, securing their sixth domestic victory of the season despite initially falling behind.
Their triumph in Montreal over the weekend marked their fifth consecutive win, setting a new club record for a single season.
This resilience Inter have shown has helped them carve out a lead in the Supporters’ Shield standings, currently boasting 27 points, three ahead of the previous record-holders, FC Cincinnati.
While it often takes conceding a goal to ignite their attack, once they find their rhythm, they become a formidable force, leading the league with 35 goals scored, a remarkable 12 more than the next-highest team in MLS (Los Angeles Galaxy).
In their previous three encounters across all competitions, they have outscored the Lions 9-2, although they have yet to claim victory in an away match against them.
Team News
Diego Gomez remained absent for Miami due to an ankle sprain, while Jordi Alba, although back in training, opted out due to a nagging hamstring issue. Federico Redondo was sidelined with an LCL problem, and Robbie Robinson was unavailable due to a knee concern of his own.
Shanyder Borgelin was not included in the team sheet due to a sore hamstring, but there’s optimism for his return by this match. Unfortunately, Facundo Farias is out for the remainder of the season with a torn ACL, although Ian Fray may soon make his comeback from the same problem. Also, Tomas Aviles is set to return from his suspension due to yellow card accumulation.
During the weekend fixtures, Luis Suarez surged ahead of his teammate Lionel Messi in the MLS Golden Boot race, scoring his 11th goal of the campaign. Meanwhile, Matias Rojas displayed excellent form with three goals in his last two games, and Benjamin Cremaschi added his second goal of the domestic campaign.
Conclusion
Inter Miami have plenty of issues at the back that need addressing, but conceding a goal will only spur them on to deliver at the other end of the pitch, and given the names of some players in their forward line, they shouldn’t have too many difficulties in carving out another victory, their first away to Orlando City.
Verdict: Away win
Best odds: 7/5
Bookmaker: Olympusbet
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