Inter Miami desperately needs to forget a tough 1-4 loss at the hands of the Chicago Fire in midweek’s fixture at Soldier Field as they play host to Supporters’ Shield winners FC Cincinnati on Saturday evening at the DRV PNK Stadium.
The Herons can’t settle for anything but a win to keep their playoff hopes alive after falling to 14th in a 15-team East as a consequence of a brutal loss in Chicago.
FC Cincinnati brought their four-game unbeaten thread to an end with a 1-2 home slip-up against the New York Red Bulls, but the defeat will count for little in the big picture as Pat Noonan’s men had already locked in the top spot in the conference with the last weekend’s win at Toronto.
The US sportsbooks see Inter Miami as the home favorites here, but it is difficult to find the value there, knowing the game will almost certainly come too soon for seven-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi.
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Will Leo Messi Play This Saturday?
Miami’s playoff ambitions have suffered a serious blow after Messi’s injury in a 4-0 drubbing of Toronto on September 21. The Argentine superstar has missed four games since, and the Herons have won none along the way. The negative streak includes a painful 1-2 defeat to the Houston Dynamo in last month’s US Open Cup final.
According to the latest reports, Messi is unlikely to recover for Saturday. Knowing head coach Gerardo Martino should also be without important first-team regulars Jordi Alba and Leonardo Campana, it is very hard to be optimistic regarding Inter’s chances this weekend.
The Herons will rely on their fine home form, having won two and drawn one of the previous three MLS outings in Fort Lauderdale.
Nevertheless, we must not forget they come face to face with the best team in the regular season and off the back of a 1-4 catastrophe against the direct playoff rivals.
Luciano Acosta is the 2023 Landon Donovan MLS MVP Frontrunner
On Wednesday night, the Orange and Blue suffered a 1-2 defeat to the New York Red Bulls in front of a sold-out TQL Stadium. The loss has by no means affected the mood in and around the venue as FC Cincinnati lifted their inaugural Supporters’ Shield silverware straight after the match.
For the Orange and Blue, the most memorable moment of the game occurred in the 68th minute when Luciano Acosta converted the spot kick to bag the consolation goal. However, it was his 16th of the season, meaning the talented Argentine midfielder now tops the MLS scoring charts ahead of the likes of Giorkos Giakoumakis and Hany Mukhtar.
The trip to Florida will mark Cincy’s last away game of the regular season. The Orange and Blue have two wins and draws apiece in the previous four road outings, each of which saw the 'Both Teams To Score’ option coming in. Could we witness a goal fest on Saturday night in Fort Lauderdale?
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Best Pick — FC Cincinnati Over 1.5 Team Goals (+145) with DraftKings
Inter Miami is not pulling up any trees without Lionel Messi on the pitch. The busy schedule has also taken a toll as Tata Martino’s men completely fell apart in a 1-4 defeat to Chicago Fire on Wednesday night.
FC Cincinnati has one of the deadliest offensive lines in the league and a 2023 Landon Donovan MLS MVP frontrunner in their ranks. The visitors may have already won the Supporters’ Shield, but they will certainly be motivated to keep the spirits high in the dressing room by avoiding a second successive defeat.
If they take this game seriously, and their main star certainly has a big reason to do so (the MLS Golden Boot race), the Orange and Blue could feast past the leaky Inter Miami defense. DraftKings offers attractive +145 odds for FC Cincinnati to bag two or more goals on Saturday night, and we’ll take the pick all day long in given circumstances. Those who prefer bolder MLS betting moves can also try Luciano Acosta to score anytime for the visitors at the +185 odds.
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