Playing in their final pre-season friendlies before the start of a new campaign, Florida rivals Orlando City and Inter Miami will square off on Friday at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay.
The Lions lost their previous pre-season affair 2-1 in extra-time versus CF Montreal in a season ticket member exclusive match, while the Herons crushed Honduran side Olimpia 5-0 last weekend.
Match preview
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Following a trip to the conference finals in 2024, there is optimism that an Orlando side filled with promise can go further in this upcoming campaign.
Oscar Pareja has guided them to consecutive top-four finishes in the Eastern Conference, with his team claiming 50+ points in three of their previous four regular seasons.
Orlando were potent in the attacking third throughout the 2024 MLS regular season, netting 59 times in 34 contests, the best this club have ever done in that department since joining the league in 2014.
In the 2024 playoffs, though, they were as defensively sound as we had seen in past seasons under Pareja, conceding just two goals in five matches.
The Lions emerged victorious in six of their final nine MLS matches at home in the 2024 regular season and playoffs, posting four clean sheets over that stretch.
Their pre-season, however, has not been all that stellar so far, with only one win on penalties versus Atletico Mineiro (6-5), while failing to score on two occasions in normal time.
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After a defensive struggle in Peru versus Universitario, where we witnessed a 0-0 draw in normal time, Miami have come to life in the attacking third.
Javier Mascherano's side have won consecutive games this month within 90 minutes, outscoring their last two opponents by a combined margin of 8-1.
That is what we have come to expect from a side with so many veterans who had previously featured and won some of the top competitions in Europe, and it is why they are being pegged to retain their Supporters' Shield crown this season.
The last time they faced MLS opposition, however, things did not go so well for the Herons as they were eliminated in the opening round of the 2024 playoffs by Atlanta United (two games to one).
A defeat on Friday would mark the first time they lose three straight games versus MLS opposition since May- June of the 2023 regular season (seven).
Inter Miami are unbeaten in their last four meetings with Orlando City across all competitions, and they did not concede a goal against them in the 2024 regular season.
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Team News
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Over the off-season, Orlando signed Eduard Atuesta and Nicolas Rodriguez, while adding striker Marco Pasalic to their ranks as well.
As for some of those leaving the club, Mason Stajduhar was traded to Real Salt Lake, Jack Lynn retired and Facundo Torres was transferred to Palmeiras.
We saw five new faces in the Miami fold to begin their match with Olimpia last Saturday, including Ian Fray, David Martinez, David Ruiz, Federico Redondo and Tadeo Allende.
Lionel Messi put them in front a few minutes before the half-hour mark in Honduras, with Redondo and Noah Allen also striking in the opening half, before Luis Suarez and Ryan Sailor netted in the final 45 minutes.
Orlando City possible starting lineup:
Gallese; Thorhallsson, Schlegel, Jansson, Santos; Araujo, Cartagena; Pasalic, Atuesta, Lodeiro; Enrique
Inter Miami possible starting lineup:
Ustari; Weigandt, Fray, Fray, Alba; Bright, Busquets, Redondo; Messi, Suarez, Allende
We say: Orlando City 0-2 Inter Miami
Miami are in strong form following their last two matches, and besides their vast attacking quality, their top players have logged a lot of minutes in the pre-season and appear to be in game shape ahead of the new campaign.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Joel Lefevre
