The goal is evident for Inter Miami this season, and that’s to win MLS Cup, so says goalkeeper Drake Callender.
Miami clinched their place within the playoffs because of a 2-0 win over FC Cincinnati, with Luis Suarez heading in the right direction.
The Herons have taken 56 factors in MLS this season, and are eight factors clear on the high of the Japanese Convention.
And with Lionel Messi nonetheless but to return to full health, Miami are setting their sights on MLS Cup glory.
Callender mentioned: “In fact, our objectives are set tremendous excessive and our requirements are set tremendous excessive.
“We wish to win – we wish to win the Japanese Convention, we wish to win MLS Cup.”
The Chicago Fireplace are subsequent up for Miami, and Gerardo Martino desires to see his staff replicate the extent they displayed in opposition to Cincinnati.
“What we have now to do is proceed to take care of our efficiency,” Martino mentioned.
“We don’t wish to attempt to modify the best way during which the staff is going through every of the matches as a result of we’re on the last stretch, after which should assessment tips on how to play the previous couple of video games earlier than the playoffs as a result of they’re utterly completely different conditions.”
Midfielder Diego Gomez mentioned: “We achieved our first goal, which is to make it to the playoffs. We’ve got to maintain going, we nonetheless should hold coaching, we have now to maintain enhancing.”
When requested about Messi’s comeback, Martino defined: “Leo, like I mentioned the opposite day, I can’t inform you precisely what time, however he’s already on the sector. He’s working together with his bodily therapist, he’s out of the medical ward, he’s coaching with a ball.
“So he has to get again in form or recuperate most of his health that any participant loses when they’re out for 5 or 6 weeks and to really feel assured that his harm is behind him. However it’s one thing that I imagine just isn’t very removed from taking place.”
Checking in from in the present day’s coaching pic.twitter.com/oYsty2XEL6
— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) August 29, 2024
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Chicago Fireplace – Brian Gutierrez
Gutierrez scored the equaliser from the penalty spot within the fourth minute of stoppage time in Chicago’s draw with New York Metropolis FC final trip.
It was the Fireplace’s first result-changing penalty in stoppage time of an MLS match in membership historical past.
Inter Miami – Luis Suarez
Suarez’s two objectives got here within the opening six minutes in opposition to Cincinnati, which is the quickest from kick-off any participant has scored twice in an MLS match since Ross Paule (additionally two objectives within the first six minutes) for the Colorado Rapids in 1998.
MATCH PREDICTION: INTER MIAMI WIN
Miami have received 14 of their final 18 common season matches (D2 L2), together with the final three in a row. The Seattle Sounders, in July-October 2018, are the one staff within the post-shootout period (since 2000) to win 15 occasions in a span of 19 matches in a single common season.
The Fireplace scored within the 78th minute and in second-half stoppage time to earn a 2-2 draw with NYCFC, the third time this season Chicago have prevented defeat in a match during which they trailed by a number of objectives within the last quarter-hour.
The house facet have received 5 of the seven all-time conferences between the Fireplace and Miami, together with Chicago successful all three of their house matches in opposition to the Herons by a mixed rating of 8-2.
Nonetheless, Miami are agency favourites in line with Opta’s mannequin.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Chicago Fireplace – 24.6%
Inter Miami – 52.4%
Draw – 23%
