Chicago Fire vs Inter Miami Preview
This weekend, Inter Miami has the opportunity to solidify its dominance in the Eastern Conference. They’re playing the Chicago Fire as they look to maintain momentum. It’s an exciting time for Miami fans as they cruise toward the postseason. Because of the time difference, this match takes place on Sunday, September 1st, at 1:30 am.
This is a road game for the Florida franchise at Soldier Field. Chicago isn’t enjoying a good season, but they can pull off a shocking result. Both teams are still emerging from their Leagues Cup campaigns while Lionel Messi has yet to return from injury. Miami has momentum, but this could be a golden opportunity for Chicago to snatch an upset win.
Chicago Fire vs Inter Miami Key Stats and Head-to-Head
Inter Miami currently tops the Eastern Conference with 56 points. They’re in control of their destiny after beating FC Cincinnati in their last MLS match. Meanwhile, Chicago is enduring a disappointing campaign as they sit in 13th with just 26 points.
Miami are the top goalscorers in MLS this year with 58 so far. Luis Suarez is leading their scoring charts with 14 goals in 19 appearances. He grabbed a brace against Cincy last weekend. However, Lionel Messi’s total contribution is even more important. He has 12 goals for the Herons and 13 assists. His partnership with his former Barcelona team is crucial, but he’s unavailable for this game.
Other players are stepping up in Messi’s absence. Julian Gressel has 12 assists while Diego Gomez is also enjoying a good season. However, defensively, they’ve endured mixed fortunes. They’ve conceded 39 goals this year, including a 6-1 meltdown against Cincinnati in July.
Before Lionel Messi joined, Inter Miami sat second bottom of MLS' Eastern Conference 😬
Almost exactly a year later, Inter Miami have secured a play-off spot and sit 8️⃣ points clear at the top after defeating second place Cincinnati 🔥
The Lionel Messi effect 🐐 pic.twitter.com/WjUaAvjSCG
— OneFootball (@OneFootball) August 25, 2024
Goalkeeper Drake Callender had a good game against Cincinnati in their 2-0 win. However, the club’s longest-serving player hasn’t always been convincing. They also shored up their defence by adding the talented David Martinez from River Plate.
Hugo Cuypers carries Chicago’s main goal threat and returns from injury in this game. The Belgian has 10 goals this year while his teammate Brian Gutierrez has six. Frank Klopas depends on these forwards.
These teams have met seven times in total, with Chicago winning four games. Miami has two victories not including the one draw. Tata Martino’s men won 2-1 at home in Florida in their last meeting. That was their first victory over Chicago in five meetings, but they’re a different team now.
Chicago Fire vs Inter Miami Predictions
Predicted Score: Chicago Fire 1 – 2 Inter Miami
It’s been a tumultuous summer for MLS teams with the Copa America and Leagues Cup disrupting the regular program. But now it’s back to regular business and Miami wants to build momentum ahead of the postseason. Their victory over their Eastern Conference rivals Cincinnati was a massive confidence boost. That’s why our soccer prediction is that Miami will win this game.
Luis Suarez is in clinical form and could wreak havoc with Chicago’s porous defence. The Uruguayan legend no longer has the same pace, but his movement and timing remain superb. Miami has an additional supporting threat in Jordi Alba.
However, it’s not all doom and gloom for Chicago. They drew with New York FC in their last game with both Cuypers and Gutierrez scoring goals. These players present a genuine threat to even the best defences in the league. For all of their glitz and glamour, Miami isn’t the strongest team at the back.
This is Miami’s first road game in MLS since Cincinnati hammered them 6-1. They also lost to Columbus in the Leagues Cup last week. Martino made some strange selections that day with Sergio Busquets playing as a centre-back. Alba appeared in midfield in another weird decision.
Miami is in the building 🏟️ pic.twitter.com/lxthcywajb
— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) August 24, 2024
The absences of Messi and Julian Gressel are huge because they provide so many assists for Miami. They exploited Cincinnati’s mistakes in their last match but didn’t create many openings. We could see Miami play a counterattacking style against Chicago.
Miami’s discipline has been poor this season. Tomas Aviles is out of action after his immature red card against Cincy. That was Miami’s fourth red this year, while Chicago only has one. Miami also has 64 yellow cards to Chicago’s 55. This is something that the Fire could exploit.
Chris Brady is turning heads in goal for Chicago this season. The academy graduate is emerging as one of the league’s most talented young keepers. He arguably has a higher ceiling than Callender. He has a lot of work to do to keep Suarez out.
Ultimately, we don’t expect this to be a very entertaining game. Chicago is an inconsistent side while Miami is missing some key men. We expect Miami to have too much cutting-edge for the Fire.
However, while we are picking Miami to win, it wouldn’t be a shock if this game finished with a draw. This market might be a candidate for live betting if Chicago scores first. Gutierrez and Cuypers are both capable of snatching a goal from a set piece.
Chicago Fire vs Inter Miami Betting Tips
The odds are very close in this MLS soccer game. Unusually, there’s no favourite on our online sports betting platform. It’s 6/4 for either side to win this one. We think Miami should have enough to cause damage and exploit Chicago’s vulnerabilities at the back.
Betting on Miami makes more sense because they’re a stronger team. A €10 stake would make a €15 profit if successful. It doesn’t make sense to place a wager on Chicago to win outright because they’re too inconsistent.
Some players will point at Miami’s injury woes and think a draw is a good option. At 13/5, we understand why this is tempting. This time a €10 stake would make €26 if the sides share the points. It wouldn’t be a big surprise because injuries and fatigue could be a factor in this game.
There are so many soccer betting markets to choose from. Why not pick the first goalscorer? Luis Suarez is a great option because he’s an elite player and is in form. He scored two last weekend and would also be a wise pick to score anytime at 7/5. You could make €14 from a €10 stake.
Cuypers is Chicago’s best choice for an anytime goal. The Belgian is their top-scorer and wants to make up for lost time after a stop-start season with injuries. They’ve always got a chance when he is on the field. It’s also 7/5 for him to add to his tally.
There are some good over-under markets for this game. Choosing under 3.5 goals is available at 4/7, with €10 potentially making €5.71. This could tempt punters to place a bigger stake. We predict this game will see three goals. You could bet on both teams to score or for there to be over 2.5 goals at 3/10, but this isn’t very lucrative.
Anyone betting on the MLS should look at our top pick for this game, the Draw No Bet option in favour of Miami. It’s 17/20 to make this wager at €8.50, which feels very secure. Chicago could pull off a shock because nothing is certain in soccer, but it feels unlikely.
Players can also bet on the correct score in this game. It’s 17/2 for it to finish with our predicted scoreline of 1-2 in favour of Miami. This means that you could make a staggering €85. Meanwhile, it’s 10/11 for the Herons to take a 1-0 lead at any point.
Don’t forget to check out the over-under odds on yellow and red cards. We expect there to be at least four yellow cards in this game, with Miami getting at least two. Their disciplinary record leaves much to be desired.
Finally, it’s 2/13 for Inter Miami to win the Eastern Conference. Chicago’s poor record means this is no longer an option for them. Miami can take another stride toward the playoffs with a win this weekend.
Chicago Fire Team News and Predicted Lineup
Chicago will play a similar team to the one that took the game to New York. They may make a couple of defensive changes, but they don’t have many options. Chase Gasper is out with a leg injury while Fabian Herbers is doubtful. Federico Navarro may start.
- Chicago Predicted Lineup: Brady, Souquet, Teran, Czichos, Arigoni, Acosta, Gimenez, Gutman, Haile-Selassie, Cuypers, Gutierrez.
Inter Miami Team News and Predicted Lineup
Martino is without star player Lionel Messi. Leo Afonso will also be out of action for up to three months as he undergoes surgery for a hernia. Tomas Avila will serve a suspension after picking up a red card against Cincinnati. Julian Gressel remains out with an ankle injury. David Martinez was impressive in their last game and will continue. Ian Fray or Serhiy Kryvtsov could start in place of Avila.
- Miami Predicted Lineup: Callender, Kryvtsov, Busquets, Martinez, Weigandt, Bright, Redondo, Alba, Rojas, Suarez, Gomez.
