Orlando City vs Inter Miami tips: Messi and co to suffer setback in feisty Derby
- George Dempsey
- 24 September 2023
Orlando City will play host to Inter Miami at Exploria Stadium this weekend in a crucial match with MLS play-off implications.
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Orlando City vs Inter Miami team news
Orlando’s only absentee is Antonio Carlos meaning Oscar Pareja has a wealth of attacking qualities to choose from in Ivan Angulo, Mauricio Pereyra, Facundo Torres, Duncan McGuire, Ramiro Enrique and Martin Ojeda.
Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba will miss out for the visitors, but Sergio Busquets continues in midfield. Noah Allen and Benjamin Cremaschi will come into the side.
Orlando City vs Inter Miami verdict
When Lionel Messi arrived in Miami, it wasn’t a foregone conclusion they’d make the end of season play-offs. And it still isn’t.
However, 13 points from 18 coupled with defeats for DC United, Montreal and Charlotte this weekend has mathematically put Miami’s fate in their own hands for the first time.
Matters could be slightly complicated by kick-off if New York City can beat Toronto to move six points clear, so there’s still pressure of Tata Martino’s side to secure maximum points.
Projects they can only afford to drop a maximum of five more points may have softened slightly after the weekend’s results, but defeat to rivals Orlando would still be a blow.
City are riding high in the Eastern Conference. They’re currently in second place and guaranteed a spot in the play-offs.
Their current run of form at home has seen them beat Columbus (4-3), St Louis (2-1), Toronto (4-0) and Chicago (3-1) since playing out a 2-2 draw with Philadelphia.
The snapshot of games tells you all you need to know about the nature of their games. They’re a major goal threat, but you give you plenty of chances.
The same can be said of Inter Miami. Interestingly, their midweek win over Toronto came without Jordi Alba and Lionel Messi, both of whom limped off early.
Despite the improvements made under Tata Martino, we saw in the 5-2 defeat to Atlanta that Miami without Messi and Alba are not the same team. Defensively they're not the strongest, but they limit opponents by dominating the game and Alba is just as important as Messi in that regard.
Orlando are averaging 2.60 goals per game during their eight-game unbeaten streak at home and we think it’s likely they extend it to nine here.
In fact, their 2-0 defeat to New York City last time out was just their third loss in 19 in all competitions, all three of which have come away from home.
Facundo Torres (12), Duncan McGuire (8), Martin Ojeda (6) and Ramiro Enrique (4) have all been in fine goal-scoring form in recent weeks and possess skill, pace and power in equal measure.
It was notable how Tata’s side struggled to deal with the raw pace of Xande Silva and the centre-forward play of Giorgos Giakoumakis.
Mauricio Pereyra is going to keep Sergio Busquets more than occupied and Facundo Torres should have the beating of Noah Allen to pull the Miami backline about and create space for McGuire.
The hosts have far too many weapons and ways to hurt their visiting rivals and although both teams scoring seems inevitable, we’re backing Orlando to pinch three points.
