FC Cincinnati will play host to Inter Miami on Saturday, September 4, at TQL Stadium in their 21st fixture of the MLS 2021 season. FC Cincinnati last met with Inter Miami in May, when they lost a five-goal thriller (2-3) and will now seek revenge in a bid to avoid ending the season with a wooden spoon.
FC Cincinnati vs Inter Miami
When: Saturday, September 4 – 20:00 EDT
Where: TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio
Weather: Showers, 22°C
Inter Miami won their last two meetings with FC Cincinnati, including the bout in May when they edged out a 3-2 win. It was a close affair that could have easily ended in a draw, but a late 85′ goal via Gonzalo Higuain secured the visitors all three points.
Before that, Inter Miami beat FC Cincinnati in November 2020, with 2-1 at home. Being 2-0 up in the head-to-head should give Inter Miami the confidence that they can extend their record even further, and the improvements they have been showing of late can only help the team’s morale.
Inter Miami Are Improving
Inter Miami enter this match with a 6-5-9 record on the season and 23 points to their name. Obviously, their record isn’t perfect, and they’re still seven points short of catching up to DC United (9-3-10, 30 points) for the final spot leading into the playoffs.
Even though inter Miami aren’t in a compelling spot, they have not been playing that poorly of late. And even that might be an understatement.
The Herons are 3-1-1 in their last five, meaning that they have produced nearly half of their total points in a span of only five games. That stretch includes wins against Nashville SC (2-1), Chicago Fire (3-2), and Toronto FC (3-1), a loss against New York City (0-2), and a 0-0 draw against Orlando City from last Saturday.
While not spectacular results, Inter Miami are at least showing some life, and if they can keep at it (with some luck), they might even claw their way into the top-seven.
For tonight’s match, Inter Miami will miss Ian Fray, Kieran Gibbs, as well as Joevin Jones, who has already missed out on ten games due to a knee injury. Ventura Alvarado will also be missed with an injury, while Rodolfo Pizarro is on international duty with Mexico.
On a more positive note, former Manchester United defender, Ryan Shawcross, could return after he has missed the last four outings.
FC Cincinnati With a Lot To Prove
This is a match between two teams who have found themselves in an unenviable position in the Eastern Conference; however, out of the two, FC Cincinnati’s situation looks far worse. The Orange and Blue are 3-8-9 on the season with only 17 points, which is the second-worst tally in the league, ahead of only Toronto FC (3-6-13, 15 points).
You could argue that FC Cincinnati’s situation isn’t as bleak as it may seem since they have played only 20 games so far, but even if they win both of their next two bouts, they still won’t surpass Inter Miami in the standings.
Across their last five, FC Cincinnati managed two losses and three draws, extending their dry streak to 11 games. Jaap Stam’s men last won a game way back in June, when they beat Toronto FC (2-0), yet even that win is hardly worth celebrating.
In their last five MLS fixtures, FC Cincinnati played a draw against New York Red Bulls (0-0), Orlando City (1-1), and Club de Foot Montreal (0-0), and have lost both of their last two outings against New England Revolution (1-4) and Columbus Crew (2-3).
Tonight, the hosts will be without Maikel van der Werff, Ronald Matarrita, and Caleb Stanko. Meanwhile, Zico Bailey, Joe Gyau, and Calvin Harris are all listed as doubtful.
FC Cincinnati vs Inter Miami Betting Pick
Neither team deserves much praise for their showings over the entire season; however, we must acknowledge that Inter Miami have been improving. With 10 points from their last five outings, Inter Miami are now in a position that allows them to compete for a spot in the playoffs.
While they will have a mountain to climb to get there, the chance of them achieving a spot in the postseason alone should serve as good motivation to deliver tonight. Even without knowing that inter Herons have a shot at a top-seven finish, it would be hard not to favour them for this bout.
Their way record (0-2-3) isn’t perfect; however, it’s important to note that FC Cincinnati haven’t won at home since October 2020, which translates to 0-5-8 across all competitions. Furthermore, FC Cincinnati’s last five home games are all draws.
Prediction: Inter Miami +0.00 Asian Handicap – 2.14 at Sportmarket
