Philadelphia vs Inter Miami Prediction: Soaring with Messi
(Watch the video of Lionel Messi and his teammates training for the semifinals right below the article)
Preview of the Philadelphia vs Inter Miami football match, taking place on Wednesday, August 16th in the CONCACAF Leagues Cup 2023 semifinal. Bongdaplus analyzes the team news, expected line-ups, bookmaker odds, and score prediction.
Analysis of Philadelphia vs Inter Miami’s Form
Two strong contenders for the CONCACAF Leagues Cup 2023 championship will face off in the semifinals. Both teams have shown excellent form in the tournament up to this point.
Home team Philadelphia has won 3 out of 5 matches in the competition and drawn the other 2 (winning on penalties afterward). Throughout the tournament, they have scored 11 goals and conceded only 4. Meanwhile, Inter Miami has been on a high since adding superstar Lionel Messi to their squad. They have won 4 out of 5 matches in the tournament and drawn 1. David Beckham’s team has scored a total of 17 goals and conceded 6 in 5 matches.
Philadelphia Union won the last match against Inter Miami with a score of 4-1. However, it’s clear that Inter Miami has made significant progress with the addition of experienced players like Messi, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba. Therefore, the “Messi effect” will likely help Inter Miami defeat the home team and secure a spot in the final.
Latest Team News for Philadelphia vs Inter Miami
To reach the semifinals, Philadelphia relied on several key players, including Daniel Gazdag. He has scored 4 goals in the last 2 matches and averages 3.5 shots on target per game. Another star for the home team is Julian Carranza, who has also scored 2 goals in this competition.
Meanwhile, what is happening at Inter Miami is like a miracle, thanks to the presence of Messi, Busquets, and Alba. Before this tournament, Inter Miami hadn’t won in 6 matches (3 losses, 3 draws) and was last in the Eastern Conference of the MLS.
To overcome the home team, Inter Miami places great trust in Messi, Robert Taylor, and Josef Martinez – players who have contributed at least 4 goals for Beckham’s team in this year’s competition.
Expected Line-ups for Philadelphia vs Inter Miami
Philadelphia (3-1-4-2): Blake; Glesnes, Elliott, Lowe; Jose Martinez; Mbaïzo, Bueno, McGlynn, Wagner; Carranza, Uhre.
Inter Miami (4-3-3): Callender; Yedlin, Kryvtsov, Miller, Jordi Alba; Arroyo, Busquets, Cremaschi; Messi, Jossef Martinez, Taylor.
Both Teams to Score: In 6 out of the last 9 encounters between the two teams, each side scored at least 1 goal. Additionally, 5 out of the last 6 matches for Philadelphia and 8 out of the last 11 for Inter Miami ended without a clean sheet.
Messi to Score or Assist: Messi is changing the history of Inter Miami. After 5 matches in Leagues Cup 2023, the Argentine superstar has scored 8 goals and contributed significantly to the team’s overall play. According to Betfair, the odds for Messi to score or assist are bright, with odds at 1.72.
Philadelphia to Open the Scoring: In the most recent 6 out of 9 encounters, Philadelphia scored the opening goal. A similar scenario has occurred in 5 out of the last 7 matches for Philadelphia. This match is unlikely to be an exception.
Football Expert Predictions for Philadelphia vs Inter Miami
Raphael George (Telecom Asia expert): “Lionel Messi is like a king with a magic wand helping Inter Miami win wherever they go. It’s very likely that King Leo will continue to help his team overcome the biggest opponent in this competition, Philadelphia, on the opponent’s own field.”
This is the first time the two teams have faced each other in a tournament outside of MLS. In the previous 8 encounters in MLS, Philadelphia has been dominant with 4 wins, 2 draws, and 2 losses. However, one of those losses occurred at their own home, Subaru Park. Therefore, it’s highly likely that this will be Philadelphia’s second home loss to Inter Miami.
Prediction: 1-3.
