Orlando City vs. Inter Miami Match Preview: Messi’s Absence Raises Doubts
The upcoming clash between Orlando City and Inter Miami has been cast under a shadow of uncertainty due to the absence of Lionel Messi during Inter Miami’s recent training sessions. Messi’s injury has left fans and pundits speculating about the outcome of this crucial match. In this comprehensive match preview, we delve into the key statistics, expert predictions, and the impact of Messi’s absence on Inter Miami’s chances.
Asian Handicap and Goal Lines:
Full-Time Asian Handicap: Orlando City -0.5
First-Half Goal Line: Over 0.5
Full-Time Goal Line: Over 1.5
First-Half Corner Kicks: Over 4
Full-Time Corner Kicks: Over 9
Predicting the Outcome:
Inter Miami finds themselves in a desperate need of a victory to secure a spot in the playoffs. However, their upcoming opponent, second-placed Orlando City, presents a formidable challenge. Messi’s absence is expected to create significant hurdles for Inter Miami in this fixture, making it a tough away encounter.
Win Probability:
Sports Mole, after analyzing recent performance data and player statistics, suggests that Orlando City is the favorite to win this match, with a 64.77% probability. A draw stands at 19.4%, while an Inter Miami victory is estimated at 15.84%.
Most Likely Scoreline for Orlando City:
The most probable scoreline for an Orlando City win is 2-0, with a 10% likelihood. Following that, 2-1 (9.87%) and 1-0 (9.13%) are the next likely scorelines. In the event of a draw, the most probable scoreline is 1-1 (9.01%), while for an Inter Miami victory, it’s 1-2 (4.44%).
Predicted Scorelines:
Considering the aforementioned insights, here are the predicted scorelines for the Orlando City vs. Inter Miami match from various sources:
Sportsmole: Orlando City 1-0 Inter Miami
Whoscored: Orlando City 2-1 Inter Miami
Our Prediction: Orlando City 1-1 Inter Miami
Referee Stats:
Head Referee: Armando (USA)
Armando has officiated in a total of 187 MLS matches.
Average yellow cards per game: 3.73
Red cards issued: 25 (0.14 per game)
Penalties awarded: 36 (0.19 per game)
Key Match Information:
Orlando City currently sits in 2nd place in the MLS standings.
Inter Miami is positioned 13th in the MLS standings.
In their last three encounters, Orlando City has not kept a clean sheet.
In four out of their last five meetings, there have been fewer than 10.5 corner kicks.
In eight out of the last ten games for both teams, both sides have scored.
Injury Report:
Orlando City: Carlos, Loyola (Injured)
Inter Miami: Messi, Alba, Fray, Gregore (Injured)
Predicted Starting Lineups:
Orlando City: Gallese; Thorhallsson, Schlegel, Jansson, Petrasso; Araujo, Cartagena; Ojeda, Pereyra, Angulo; McGuire
Inter Miami: Callender; Yedlin, Allen, Kryvtsov, Aviles, Sailor; Ruiz, Busquets, Farias; Martinez, Campana
Head-to-Head History:
21/5/23: Inter Miami 1 – 3 Orlando City
06/10/22: Inter Miami 4 – 1 Orlando City
10/07/22: Orlando City 1 – 0 Inter Miami
Recent Form:
Orlando City’s Recent Matches:
21/9/2023: NY City 2-0 Orlando
17/09/23: Orlando 4-3 Columbus
03/09/23: Cincinnati 0-1 Orlando
31/08/23: Charlotte 1-1 Orlando
Inter Miami’s Recent Matches:
21/9/2023: Inter Miami 4-0 Toronto
17/09/23: Atlanta 5-2 Inter Miami
10/09/23: Inter Miami 3-2 Kansas City
4/09/23: Los Angeles 1-3 Inter Miami
Match Analysis:
Inter Miami has shown resilience in Messi’s absence, but with a packed schedule, fitness could be a concern for the Pink and Black. Orlando City is well-organized, defensively solid, and boasts an impressive home attack. Consequently, Inter Miami faces a formidable challenge in their quest for three points.
It’s worth emphasizing that Messi is unlikely to feature in this match due to his injury sustained in the previous game against Toronto.
