The Philadelphia Union can climb above the Eastern Conference playoff line Saturday with a win over Inter Miami and some help when the two sides clash at Chase Stadium.
Miami are seven points clear of the Los Angeles Galaxy for the best record in Major League Soccer (MLS) following a 4-2 win over the Chicago Fire, while Philly are two points below the post-season line despite beating the New York Red Bulls 2-0 in their previous encounter.
Match preview
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What was shaping up to be a close race between a few teams for the Supporters' Shield crown has turned into a runaway, with Inter Miami pulling away from the pack.
Tata Martino's men have reeled off four successive victories in this competition, putting them eight points clear of FC Cincinnati in the Eastern Conference standings.
With seven victories from their final seven league fixtures, the Herons will set a new league record for wins in a single regular-season campaign, surpassing the mark of 24 set by the Galaxy and DC United in 1998.
Five more wins, meanwhile, would set a new MLS regular-season record for points, with the 2021 New England Revolution currently holding the all-time best mark at 73.
On Saturday, Miami can equal their longest winning run of the 2024 domestic campaign (five), while a victory would also give them 10 at home this year, matching their single-season club record set in 2022.
Throughout the 2024 domestic campaign, the Herons have rarely relinquished a lead, dropping points in only one league fixture all year when scoring first (1-1 draw versus New York City FC).
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One of the rare sights we are not used to seeing is playing out in Philadelphia, with the Union fighting for a playoff spot so late in the season.
This team have finished in a top-four position out East in each of the previous five MLS campaigns, but with seven matches remaining, they are in danger of missing the post-season for the first time since 2017.
Jim Curtin's men have conceded 43 goals after 27 domestic matchdays, the most for them in a single season since 2019 (50).
They have lost four of their last five away matches in this competition, but with a win this weekend, they will equal their total in that department from 2023 (five).
Philly have lost three of their previous four meetings with Miami across all competitions, beating them only once at Chase Stadium during the 2022 season (2-1).
Team News
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There is a chance that Lionel Messi returns to the Miami fold from his ankle injury this weekend, though we believe he may not play a full game as he has only recently returned to training, while Lawson Sunderland has a sore hamstring and Leo Afonso is dealing with a groin strain.
Nicolas Freire remains a question mark with an ACL injury, Facundo Farias is out after tearing his ACL and Tomas Aviles is eligible to return from his yellow card suspension.
Tobias Salquist put the Herons in front with an own-goal in late August before Luis Suarez notched a brace, putting him up to 16 this year, two fewer than Christian Benteke in the MLS Golden Boot race, with Robert Taylor capping off the scoring with his fifth of the regular season.
On the Philly side, Nathan Harriel was available on the bench but did not feature in their last match, having previously incurred a knock, while Isaiah LeFlore sat out with a right knee injury.
Andre Blake, Daniel Gazdag, Jesus Bueno and Danley Jean Jacques should all be available after each being called up for international duty last week.
Tai Baribo netted his seventh of the league season in their previous encounter, drawing even with Mikael Uhre for second on the team, with the latter scoring the winner after just four minutes.
Inter Miami possible starting lineup:
Callender; Fray, Busquets, Martinez; Weigandt, Redondo, Ruiz, Alba; Taylor, Suarez, Gomez
Philadelphia Union possible starting lineup:
Blake; Mbaizo, Glesnes, Elliott, Wagner; Flach; Sullivan, McGlynn; Gazdag; Baribo, Uhre
We say: Inter Miami 2-1 Philadelphia Union
It does not seem to matter who is in the lineup for Miami, they always find a way to get the job done, and we do not foresee that changing against a Philly side that have been uncharacteristically inconsistent this season.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Joel Lefevre
