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Chicago Fire vs Inter Miami Preview
Inter Miami travel to Soldier Field to face the Chicago Fire on August 31 at 8:30 pm. The league leaders look to extend their advantage at the top of the Eastern Conference. The Herons secured a huge win over second-placed FC Cincinnati last week and will enter this game full of confidence.
Chicago sits 13th in the East but just two points away from a place in the play-ins. Can the Fire shock the league leaders and creep up the table or will Miami maintain their stranglehold at the top?
Chicago Fire vs Inter Miami Head-To-Head and Key Stats
Inter Miami and Chicago Fire have clashed on seven occasions. Chicago has historically got the better of Miami, boasting four victories to two, with one draw between the sides. However, Miami came out on top in their most recent meeting in July.
The Herons edged out Chicago in a close-fought encounter at Chase Stadium. Miami kicked on right out of the gates when Matias Rojas finished off a smart attacking move from 12 yards out in the sixth minute. The first half was all Miami, but the Herons couldn’t double their lead. Julian Gressel came closest in added time when his curling effort from the left flank hit the crossbar, but it was 1-0 after 45 minutes.
Chicago found their footing in the second half and penetrated the defence regularly. Their efforts paid off in the 73rd minute when Rafael Czichos’ low-driven effort beat Drake Callendar at the near post to draw level for the visitors. Miami replied almost instantly, following a mix-up at the back between goalkeeper Chris Brady and centre-back Mauricio Pineda. Their clash in the box allowed Jordi Alba to tap into an open net and hand the win to Miami.
Inter Miami last turned out to play FC Cincinnati in a huge clash at the top of the Eastern Conference. Fans in attendance had barely taken to their seats before Luis Suarez scored the opener after 30 seconds. Marcelo Weigandt’s cross found the Uruguayan in the box who chested the ball down before burying it into the bottom left corner.
The former Barcelona forward secured a brace just over five minutes later, following a quick break from Miami. He connected with Rojas in a smart one-two play before firing home at the near post with the help of a deflection. Cincy fought back, but Callendar denied the Orange and Blue with a string of fine saves. Miami had their backs to the wall and was forced into a rearguard performance when Tomas Aviles was sent off in the 42nd minute following a dangerous tackle.
Cincinnati dominated the rest of the game but could not find the net. The visitors finished with 58% possession and 16 shots to Miami’s five. A strong performance from Callendar and last-gasp blocks and clearances from the Herons’ backline secured the three points and furthered their lead at the top of the East.
Chicago Fire fought back from a two-goal deficit to earn a point at Citi Field last week. New York City FC dominated the opening exchanges and overwhelmed Chicago’s defence. Alonso Martínez found the opener in the 15th minute with an excellent finish from outside the box, curling past Brady into the bottom right corner.
Martinez doubled his tally and New York’s lead in the 22nd minute when he fired the ball into the roof of the net from close range. Santiago Rodríguez had the ball in the net for a third five minutes later but strayed offside and saw his close-range finish scratched off. Chicago was 2-0 at halftime with a mountain to climb.
New York dominated much of the second half, but Hugo Cuypers gave Chicago a lifeline in the 78th minute. His excellent curling strike from just inside the area halved the deficit. The Fire pushed for an equalizer and drama struck in the 94th minute when Tayvon Gray conceded a penalty following a deflection off his arm. Brian Gutierrez stepped up from 12 yards and made no mistake to rescue an unlikely point for Chicago.
Chicago Fire vs Inter Miami Predictions
Correct score prediction: Chicago Fire 1-2 Inter Miami
Inter Miami’s victory over Cincinnati last week was huge for the Herons. Cincy has been one of the best teams in the league this season and they have been breathing down Miami’s necks for much of the year. Tata Martino’s men suffered a humiliating 6-1 defeat to their rivals in the reverse fixture. Getting a win back puts them firmly in the driver’s seat in the Eastern Conference. Chicago is a far weaker side than Cincy and a rescued point last week is not enough to make us think they can take something from this game. Our soccer prediction is for a Miami victory.
Chicago’s attack has been one of the weakest in the MLS this season. Only four teams in the league have scored fewer than their 32 goals. Miami has statistically the strongest attack with 58 goals. They have proven they can outscore any team in the league even without Lionel Messi, who has been injured since his return from Copa America.
The Herons’ attacking depth is scary. Luis Suarez leads their scoring charts with 19 goals in all competitions. Messi has 15 and Leonardo Campana, Matias Rojas, and Robert Taylor have chipped in with 21 between them. Miami has goals all over the pitch and Martino’s attacking style of play will drown the Chicago defence.
𝙇𝙪𝙞𝙨 𝙎𝙪𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙯 𝙩𝙤𝙣𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙨𝙤 𝙛𝙖𝙧:
🎖️ Scored the fastest goal in club history 😮💨 🚀
🎖️ Broke the all-time single-season goals record 🤯 pic.twitter.com/WQDRIdGJ8S
— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) August 25, 2024
Miami also has a wealth of creative players on its roster. Utility player Julian Gressel has 12 assists in 2024 after being deployed in defence, midfield, and attack. Left-back Jordi Alba’s marauding runs down the flank have been a constant thorn in the side of defences this season and the Spaniard has seven assists. In comparison, Fabian Herbers and Maren Haile-Selassie lead Chicago’s assist chart with just five apiece.
Hugo Cuypers will be the danger man for the Fire. He scored his tenth goal of the season last week, furthering his lead atop Chicago’s goals chart. The 6’1″ striker poses a threat in the air and is adept with the ball at his feet. Martino will most likely assign Serhiy Kryvtsov as his marker. He has won 60% of his aerial duels at centre-back this season.
Chicago Fire vs Inter Miami Betting tips
The MLS markets could not split these sides. Both are worth +155, which shows that many expect a tight game. Inter Miami is coming off a huge win over their rivals at the top of the conference and is on a run of three straight wins in the MLS. Chicago has just one victory in their previous five league games. The Herons already have a victory over Chicago this season and can do the double here. Bet on Miami to win at plus money.
Despite Miami’s attacking threat, they have been leaky at the back. Chicago has one of the weaker defences in the Eastern Conference. We like a bet on both teams to score for this game, worth -222 with our online sportsbook. This wager has hit in all of Chicago’s last four games and three of Miami’s last four. It also hit the last time these teams faced off.
Luis Suarez has been in excellent form recently and capped off a great performance last week with a brace. The Uruguayan is Miami’s top scorer this season with 19 goals in all competitions. Soccer betting has looked favourably on Suarez scoring in back-to-back games. He is worth +140 for an anytime goal and with Messi still out, he will be the Herons’ main goal threat.
Miami has the strongest offence in the MLS. No side has scored more goals than the Herons this season. They have two or more goals in seven of their last eight league games and we are backing them to make it eight from nine at Soldier Field. Bet on Miami to score over 1.5 goals, worth -110.
Chicago Fire Team News
A leg injury has sidelined Fabian Herbers from training since early August, and he is not expected to return until mid-September. Chase Gasper’s nightmare season continues as he is yet to return to team training after making four appearances this season. His leg injury will keep him out until at least mid-September.
Federico Navarro appeared off the bench last week following his injury and is fit to travel with the squad on Saturday. Carlos Teran played 45 minutes before being substituted in his first game back since injury last week. That was merely precautionary, and he is fit to play against Inter Miami.
- Predicted lineup: Brady, Czichos, Teran, Souquet, Gutman, Acosta, Giminez, Arigoni, Gutierrez, Haile-Selassie, Cuypers.
Inter Miami Team News
Lionel Messi returned to team training this week for the first time since June 1 but will not be fit enough to appear against Chicago. Leo Afonso will undergo surgery to repair a sports hernia this week. He will not return for two to three months. Nicolas Freire and Facundo Farias are out for the rest of the season with knee injuries. Tomas Aviles will sit out through suspension after his red card last week.
- Predicted lineup: Callendar, Alba, Busquets, Kryvtsov, Weigandt, Redondo, Bright, Rojas, Gomez, Gressel, Suarez.
