An electric atmosphere is expected at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale on Wednesday night as Inter Miami battle Houston Dynamo in the highly anticipated U.S. Open Cup final.
The primary storyline revolves around the fitness of Lionel Messi who came off injured in the first half of the last week’s game against Toronto FC. The latest reports suggest that the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner is unlikely to make the starting XI in the showpiece game.
We will delve into how Messi’s injury status will impact Inter Miami’s chances and provide our top US sports betting options for the big final in Florida.
Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba Could Miss the Showpiece Game
All soccer fans are likely aware of Lionel Messi’s historic move from PSG to Inter Miami this summer. Since his arrival in Florida, the 36-year-old Argentine has taken his new team to victory in the Leagues Cup, secured a spot in the U.S. Open Cup final, and elevated the Herons in the MLS standings.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that he has been the driving force behind the team’s remarkable success lately. This is why his potential absence from Wednesday’s final could prove devastating for Inter Miami and their fans. To make things more complicated, Messi’s former Barcelona teammate Jordi Alba is also nursing an injury, so his appearance in the final is under a big question mark as well.
In the build-up for the big game, Inter’s boss Gerardo Tata Martino has underlined that his stars would not be played if their fitness doesn’t improve.
Inter Miami’s Dominance in Fort Lauderdale
Inter Miami are now only five points shy of the play-in spots in the Eastern Conference standings thanks to a run of three wins, one draw, and one defeat in the last five league outings. However, Martino’s troops did struggle to perform in the road clashes against Atlanta United and Orlando City of late, taking just one point from these two affairs.
They have two games in hand on ninth-placed New York City and one game in hand on eight-placed Montreal, so making a playoff berth in MLS is a realistic possibility for David Beckham’s team.
The Herons will now return to Fort Lauderdale where they earned five wins and a draw in the last six outings across competitions. It’s worth noting that Inter Miami scored three or more goals in four of their last five home encounters. However, Leo Messi played a massive role in most of these victories, so the importance of this statistics is questionable.
Houston Dynamo’s Unbeaten Streak Comes to an End
Houston Dynamo have just brought their seven-game unbeaten streak to an end on Saturday night, losing 2-1 away at Sporting Kansas City in a big Western Conference showdown. Things are as tight as possible on the West with just six points separating Los Angeles in second and Dallas in ninth place.
Houston’s rise in form in the last couple of months has taken them to fourth position in the conference standings with just four games left to play. Ben Olsen’s troops have also extremely efficient throughout an entire U.S. Open Cup campaign, bagging eleven goals in the previous three rounds against Minnesota United, Chicago Fire, and Real Salt Lake.
In terms of their latest performances, it’s worth acknowledging Houston’s back line. The Orange allowed two or more goals just once in the previous eight outings across competitions.
Best Pick: Under 3.5 Goals (-160) with DraftKings
While both Inter Miami and Houston Dynamo have shown impressive attacking form so far in the tournament, we see the upside in backing the low-scoring affair on Wednesday. First of all, the stakes are high as this is the final of the competition. These two outfits have a combined one U.S. Open Cup trophy between them (the 2018 Houston Dynamo team). On top of bragging rights, the winner will receive $300,000 in prize funds.
This is why we expect a bit more defensive approach from both coaches, much like we witnessed in the Leagues Cup final between Inter Miami and Nashville (ended in a 1-1 draw before the Herons won on penalties).
Finally, the possibility of both Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba missing out on Wednesday makes us lean more towards this prediction. The braver punters can also chase the Under 2.5 goals pick at the more attractive +150 odds. Our top recommendation is going to be Under 3.5 goals at the -160 odds.
Bet on Under 3.5 Goals at the -160 odds with DraftKings »
Value Pick: Houston Dynamo to Lift the Trophy (+195) with DraftKings
Moving to the second wager, we fancy Houston’s chances to lift the trophy. The value with the visitors is just too good to be ignored taking everything into account. The Orange have improved their defensive displays significantly of late and we fancy them giving the Herons a game on Wednesday despite a hostile environment in Fort Lauderdale.
Bet on Houston Dynamo To Lift The Trophy at the +195 odds with DraftKings »
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