Inter Miami vs Philadelphia Union Preview
Inter Miami welcomes the Philadelphia Union to Chase Stadium on September 14 at 4:30 pm. The Herons lead the Eastern Conference by eight points and a victory in this game could lead them on their way to the Supporters’ Shield.
Philadelphia has hit a strong run of form late in the season, winning three of their last four games. Can the Union continue their impressive form against the conference leaders or will Inter Miami put a dent in their playoff hopes?
Inter Miami vs Philadelphia Union Head-To-Head and Key Stats
Inter Miami and Philadelphia Union have squared off 11 times over the last four years. Their rivalry is tightly contested, but Philadelphia has outperformed the Herons on five occasions, compared to Miami’s four wins with two draws. The sides last met on June 16 at Subaru Park. Despite being down to nine men, Miami came from behind to claim a 2-1 win on the road.
The Union flew out of the gates to open the scoring in the 3rd minute. Jakob Glesnes found Mikael Uhre with a through ball following a fast break and the Danish striker made no mistake, smartly slotting home to put the hosts 1-0 up. Miami fought back to draw level after Julian Gressel’s fierce volley hit the top right corner in the 47th minute.
David Ruiz received a red card in the 68th minute after a second yellow for upending Leon Flach. Philadelphia piled on the pressure but could not find a way past Drake Callender. Tomas Aviles received a red following his second yellow not even 20 minutes later and Miami was down to nine men. The Union still could not find a winner and the Herons made them pay for their poor finishing. Philly threw men forward for a corner and opened themselves up to a counterattack in the 94th minute. Leonardo Afonso found himself one one-on-one with Oliver Semmle and slotted past him to steal three points for Miami at the death.
Inter Miami last played on August 31 when they faced the Chicago Fire at Soldier Field. Quality finishing was the difference as the Herons left the Windy City with a resounding 4-1 victory and three points. The battle for possession was tight, but the Herons’ formidable strike force earned them the win.
Miami took the lead in the 25th minute when Chicago’s Tobias Salquist scored an own goal. Both teams had opportunities to score the second throughout the first half but couldn’t find the net and Miami entered the break up by a goal. Luis Suarez doubled their lead just 50 seconds after their return, beating Chris Brady at his near post with a smart finish. The Uruguayan doubled his tally to put the game beyond doubt in the 65th minute. Chicago scored a consolation goal in the 82nd minute before Robert Taylor added insult to injury with a fourth goal for Miami in added time.
Philadelphia Union claimed an unlikely victory over the New York Red Bulls the last time they played, on August 31. New York won the battle for possession, had more passes and a higher passing accuracy, and had shots than Philadelphia. A rearguard performance paired with quality finishing saw the Union come out with three points.
Uhre got off the mark early to put Philly ahead in the fourth minute. His low, powerful shot from outside the area zipped past Carlos Coronel into the bottom left corner. Tai Baribo doubled their lead with a similar finish ten minutes later. The Union defended bravely to retain their lead and see out their third victory in four league games.
Inter Miami vs Philadelphia Union Predictions
Correct score prediction: Inter Miami 2-0 Philadelphia Union
Both teams are on strong runs. Inter Miami is top of the Eastern Conference, eight points clear of FC Cincinnati. Philadelphia reached the semifinals of the Leagues Cup and have won three of their last four in the MLS. They have hit form at just the right time and are still in with a chance of sneaking into the MLS Cup playoffs. However, the Herons have been the best team in the league this season. Tata Martino’s side is unbeaten in four league games and we are backing them to make it five on Saturday. Our soccer prediction is for an Inter Miami win.
Miami has the best attack in the league. The Floridians have scored 62 goals so far this campaign. Their depth is excellent, with several forward-thinking players who are dangerous in front of the goal. Luis Suarez leads their goalscoring charts with 16 with Lionel Messi second on 12. Miami has proven in recent weeks that they can do it without the Argentinian icon with the likes of Robert Taylor, Leonardo Campana and Matias Rojas stepping up in his absence. With a potential return from Messi on the cards, Miami could run riot in Fort Lauderdale. The Herons’ attack will be too much for Philadelphia to handle.
Lionel Messi is back in training for Inter Miami ⭐ pic.twitter.com/wyWV4I9tjM
— L/M Football (@lmfootbalI) September 5, 2024
The Eastern Conference leaders also have a host of creative players to complement their forwards. Messi leads their assist charts with 13 while Julian Gressel has been having one of the best seasons of his career, averaging nearly an assist every other game. His versatility has been invaluable through international call-ups and injuries, playing at fullback, midfield and either side of a front three in 2024. Jordi Alba has eight assists from fullback and Sergio Busquets has six as a holding midfielder-come-centre back. Miami has players all over the pitch who can unlock defences to find their talented goalscorers.
Philadelphia should not be underestimated, despite Miami’s strength. The Union went 10 regular season games without a win between May and July before trouncing the New England Revolution 5-1. A win over Nashville followed before they began their Leagues Cup campaign. They lost just one of their seven games in 90 minutes. A strong Columbus Crew team defeated them on their return, but Philly’s road win against New York in their most recent game proves there is more to come from the Union. Miami needs to put on a professional showing to defeat a team that is hitting form at the right time of the season.
Inter Miami vs Philadelphia Union Betting Tips
Inter Miami is the favourite for this game, worth -161 with our online sportsbook. The Herons have lost just one of their last nine league games. They have confirmed a spot in the playoffs with seven games in hand and are looking to finish as strong as possible. Miami has been the strongest team in the league this season and with the home advantage, we like a bet on Inter Miami to win this game.
Miami’s attacking stars have been electric in 2024 with 62 league goals. Luis Suarez sits above them all with 16. He has starred in recent weeks, netting five goals in four games including a pair of braces in his last two league outings. MLS betting will shine favourably on the Uruguayan to continue his goalscoring form on Saturday. Bet on Suarez to score his sixth in five games on Saturday.
🇺🇾 Luis Suárez in @MLS this season:
2️⃣0️⃣ matches 2️⃣1️⃣ goal contributions 🔥
1️⃣6️⃣ goals⚽
5️⃣ assists 🅰️ pic.twitter.com/Q8IjYVFp3w— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) September 7, 2024
Hungarian attacking midfielder Daniel Gazdag has been Philadelphia’s talisman this season. The 28-year-old has 14 goals and four assists in the league, shining as a number 10 behind striker Mikael Uhre. Soccer betting markets will recognise him as the Union’s danger man, and we like a bet on Gazdag to have a shot on target. He is averaging 1.32 shots on target per 90 minutes this season and will be the focal point of Philadelphia’s attack in this game.
Inter Miami has scored in the first half and led at halftime in all their last four MLS games. The Herons are quick off the mark and assert their attacking dominance from the first whistle. We like a bet on Inter Miami to lead at halftime and full-time, worth +150.
Inter Miami Team News
Lionel Messi is close to a return for Miami. The Argentinian is back in training but may need to be eased back into the team following his ankle injury. A place in the matchday squad is possible, but we don’t expect him to start. Matias Rojas missed the clash with Chicago with a sprained ankle. He is likely to be fit to play against Philadelphia. Nicolas Freire and Facundo Farias are out for the season with matching ACL injuries.
- Predicted lineup: D. Callender, Aviles, Busquets, Martinez, Alba, Redondo, Bright, Weigandt, Gomez, Gressel, Suarez.
Philadelphia Union Team News
Defender Isaiah LeFlore is out for the rest of the season with a knee injury. Nathan Harriel sat on the bench against New York with a back injury but should be fit to start against Miami. There are otherwise no injury concerns for the Union. We expect coach Jim Curtin to stick with most of the starting 11 from the win against New York in a diamond formation in midfield.
- Predicted lineup: Blake, Wagner, Elliott, Glesnes, Harriel, Flach, McGlynn, Sullivan, Gazdag, Baribo, Uhre.
