Verdict: Away win
Best odds: 3/2
Bookmaker: BetUS
The highlight match in Major League Soccer on Wednesday sees Supporters’ Shield leaders Inter Miami taking on reigning MLS Cup champions Columbus Crew at Chase Stadium.
An injury-time goal on Saturday secured a 2-1 victory for the Herons against the Philadelphia Union, while Columbus emerged victorious with a 3-2 win over New York City FC.
Inter Miami
Coming from behind has become a weekly routine for Inter Miami throughout this domestic campaign, and they did it again on Saturday.
Seven of the Herons’ 11 league victories this season have been achieved after conceding the opening goal, contributing to more than half of their points in the league (21 out of 38).
Their win against the Union was their sixth away victory in the 2024 campaign, setting a new single-season club record.
A win on Wednesday would be their sixth MLS home victory this year, matching their total from the previous domestic season at Chase Stadium.
While three of their four MLS clean sheets this season have been recorded at Chase Stadium, Tata Martino’s side has shown some defensive vulnerability recently, conceding three goals in back-to-back league matches played in Fort Lauderdale.
Inter Miami remain unbeaten in their home encounters with Columbus, having won two and drawn one of their three all-time meetings.
Team News
Inter Miami’s MLS joint-top goalscorers, Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez, are on international duty for Argentina and Uruguay, respectively, as the Copa America begins this week, while Matias Rojas will represent Paraguay at the same tournament.
Federico Redondo missed the weekend fixture due to adductor discomfort, Diego Gomez was sidelined with an ankle sprain, Robbie Robinson was unavailable because of an injury, and Nicolas Freire along with Facundo Farias are out with ACL issues.
Additionally, Miami will be without Tomas Aviles and David Ruiz on Wednesday, as both players received a pair of cautions in their weekend victory over the Union.
Columbus Crew
MLS Cup holders Columbus Crew have demonstrated remarkable resilience throughout the campaign, bouncing back with a spirited effort on Friday.
That victory followed a disappointing 3-0 defeat against Pachuca in the CONCACAF Champions Cup final and marked their fourth consecutive win in MLS.
Wilfried Nancy’s men have shown a knack for comebacks, having earned a point on four occasions this season after trailing at halftime. Last Friday’s match was the first time in 2024 that they managed to win in such a scenario domestically.
With four away victories in MLS this year, the Crew have equaled their total from 2023. A win on Wednesday would mark their fifth successive away victory in the league, matching their longest streak from 2015.
Currently sixth in the Eastern Conference, Columbus is just three points behind the New York Red Bulls in third and has four games in hand over Inter Miami, who lead them by 11 points in the standings.
In their previous three meetings with Miami in this competition, Columbus have only managed one point, including conceding a 90th-minute equalizer in their last visit to Chase Stadium, which ended in a 2-2 draw.
Conclusion
Inter Miami have demonstrated their ability to secure victories even in the absence of their star attackers. However, their defensive rankswill be severely depleted for this match, which could potentially pose significant challenges against one of the most potent attacks in the league.
Verdict: Away win
Best odds: 3/2
Bookmaker: BetUS
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