USA MLS: Orlando City SC x Inter Miami, Match Preview, Odds and Predictions(16/05/2024)

On Wednesday, Orlando City will host Inter Miami at Inter and Co Stadium in MLS action, reigniting a territorial rivalry in Florida.

The Lions defeated the Philadelphia Union by a narrow 3-2 margin to end a three-match losing streak over the weekend. Similarly, the Herons secured their fifth consecutive victory in this competition with a 3-2 triumph over CF Montreal.

Head To Head And Previous Matches

At the Inter&Co Stadium, Orlando City will host Inter Miami in MLS Gameweek 13. At the moment, the visitors hold the lead in the league standings, while the hosts are positioned eleventh in the Eastern Conference. 

Orlando City has struggled to get off to a good start this season, accumulating only 12 points in their first eleven contests. At the moment, they are positioned in the final playoff place, two points behind Philadelphia, and a mere five points above the bottom club, New England. 

Nonetheless, over the weekend, they defeated Philadelphia Union 3-2 on the road, thereby bolstering morale and putting an end to a three-match losing streak that included consecutive losses and a draw. It is worth noting that the Lions have fared better in away contests compared to their home setting, amassing a mere five of their twelve points at Inter&Co Stadium (W1 D2 L3). 

Their home record is winless in their last three contests, with losses in the last two coming at the hands of Toronto and Cincinnati. Orlando has gone three games without a victory against this opponent across all competitions. Their last meeting in Miami last month resulted in a 5-0 demolition.

In contrast, Inter Miami appears to be the team to defeat this season, having largely lived up to the anticipation. However, they are under pressure from Cincinnati, who trail by three points with 24 and a game in hand.

However, following the return of their captain and talisman, Lionel Messi, who missed several weeks due to injury over the past two months, the Herons have been in sublime form. Inter have amassed five consecutive victories since the Argentine's return, the most recent occurring on Sunday when they rallied from a two-goal deficit to triumph 3-2 away at Montreal.

This result gave Messi and company their 35th goal of the season, fourteen more than any other Eastern Conference team. On the road, the visitors have accumulated 13 of a possible 18 points and are riding a three-match winning streak. Furthermore, in four of their last five away contests, they have scored three or more goals, and they are the heavy favorites in this contest. 

Our Predictions

Over 2.5 goals @ 1.54 on Sky247.ng

Inter Miami is a juggernaut that scores goals this season, with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez, who have scored ten and eleven goals, respectively, so far this season. In context, the combined tally of goals scored by these two titans is equivalent to the tally achieved thus far by Philadelphia, the Eastern Conference's second-highest scoring team. Our prediction for Orlando City vs. Inter Miami is over 2.5.

Inter Miami to win @ 2.16 on Sky247.ng

A rivalry match is a place where anything can occur, particularly when the opposing teams are positioned at opposite extremities of the table.

Nevertheless, this rivalry match is anything but ordinary, as the Herons' offensive unit, which includes Messi, Luis Suarez, and new recruit Matias Rojas, is the most formidable in the league. Miami will earn all three points after a composed performance against the struggling Lions at InterCo Stadium.

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