Verdict: Home win
Best odds: 2/5
Bookmaker: Olympusbet
Inter Miami have been the talk of the league in the American MLS for securing the services of Lionel Messi, but as they prepare to travel to play Philadelphia Union at the Subaru Park on Saturday, the Argentinian superstar will still be under contract with Paris Saint-Germain and therefore legally unavailable for a while longer.
Nonetheless, the match has reportedly been sold out for a long time, beyond any expectation.
Philadelphia Union
After a 10-day hiatus from competitive matches, Philadelphia managed to salvage a point in a 2-2 draw against Orlando City, despite falling behind on two occasions.
Jack McGlynn and Jose Martinez scored in the second half, with Martinez’s goal coming in the 90th minute to secure the equalizer. This result allowed the Union to collect their 11th away point of the season and maintain their fourth-place position in the Eastern Conference. However, a victory over Orlando would have propelled them into third place, overtaking New England Revolution.
Although Philadelphia remains in contention, their chances of retaining the Eastern Conference title appear slim, as they currently trail league leaders Cincinnati by 12 points, just past the halfway mark of the season. In fact, dropping five points in their last two matches has widened the gap further this month.
While it might be expected that Jim Curtin’s team would easily return to winning form against struggling Inter Miami, their upcoming fixture on Sunday may not be a straightforward task. Philadelphia has only won one of their last five encounters with Inter Miami and has failed to win their last two home matches against them.
Nonetheless, Philadelphia has a strong home record this season, amassing 20 points from nine MLS games at Subaru Park. They have won six times, drawn twice, and suffered just one defeat, which came in a 2-1 loss to Orlando back in March.
Team News
Philadelphia defender Damion Lowe was absent during the draw against Orlando due to an injury, and it is unlikely that he will be available for this game. Therefore, Jakob Glesnes and Jack Elliott are likely to continue as the center-back pairing, flanked by full-backs Olivier Mbaizo and Kai Wagner.
Daniel Gazdag from Hungary and Richard Odada from Kenya are both in contention to make their return after representing their respective countries during the international break. However, Andre Blake is still away with Jamaica for the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
The team’s top scorer, Julian Carranza, and his strike partner, Mikael Uhre, have collectively scored 15 goals in the MLS this season. They are expected to lead the attacking line once again on Sunday, with Gazdag potentially rejoining the starting lineup in the number 10 position, just behind the forwards.
Inter Miami
Just three days after narrowly defeating Birmingham Legion by a 1-0 scoreline in the MLS Cup quarter-finals, Inter Miami suffered their sixth consecutive MLS defeat against New England Revolution, losing 3-1 in an away match two weeks ago.
The Herons found themselves trailing by three goals within the first 51 minutes of the game before Josef Martinez scored a consolation goal from a penalty six minutes before the final whistle.
Inter’s struggles continue as they have now lost 12 out of their 17 MLS matches this season, which is at least three more losses than any other team in either Conference division. They currently sit at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings, eight points behind the playoff positions for the Final Series.
Interim manager Javier Morales is eagerly awaiting the integration of Messi into the team, hoping it will provide a much-needed boost. However, the club’s owner, Jorge Mas, has confirmed that Messi’s debut is not expected until July 21, when they face Cruz Azul in the Leagues Cup.
With limited time to spare, Inter cannot afford to drop many more points if they want to secure a spot among the top seven or nine teams in the Eastern Conference. They will be looking to spark a revival when they face Philadelphia, a team they defeated 2-0 at home back in March.
Team News
Inter will be without Gregore (foot), Jean Mota (knee), Robbie Robinson (calf), Dixon Arroyo (groin), and Ryan Sailor (hamstring) due to various injuries. Franco Negri is also doubtful for the upcoming match as he is still going through concussion protocols.
On a positive note, Kamal Miller is eligible to return after serving a one-match suspension. The center-back will be competing with Serhiy Kryvtsov and Christopher McVey for a place in the starting lineup.
Following his international duties with Venezuela, striker Josef Martinez is expected to lead the line for Inter Miami. He will be aiming to increase his tally of four MLS goals this season. Corentin Jean and Nicolas Stefanelli are likely to provide support to Martinez from the flanks.
Conclusion
Though Inter beat Philadelphia earlier this season, their defensive frailties are likely to prove their downfall against a very efficient Philadelphia team, and they’re not very likely to get anything from this match.
Verdict: Home win
Best odds: 2/5
Bookmaker: Olympusbet
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