Preview: Inter Miami meet NYCFC to decide best in the East
Inter Miami and Lionel Messi edge a step closer to their goal of lifting the MLS Cup for the first time in franchise history when they host New York City in the Eastern Conference final on Saturday night.
By James Nalton
They go into the game on the back of two of their most impressive and convincing performances since Messi joined the team at the end of 2023, and need just two more to lift Major League Soccer’s big prize.
But first, they need to win the Eastern Conference playoff prize, and Pascal Jansen’s New York City are likely to pose a tougher test than those they have recently faced.
Mascherano’s big Luis Suarez decision
In the preview of Inter Miami’s conference semifinal against FC Cincinnati, we ventured that Javier Mascherano’s team might have more of a chance of winning if the coach left Suárez out of his starting XI.
It was a decision few expected him to be bold enough to make, given the profile of Suárez and the idea that Messi might prefer to have the Uruguayan in the team alongside him.
But it was a decision Mascherano did make, and one that paid off.
Away at Cincinnati, a place where Inter Miami have regularly struggled in the past, Mascherano’s team blew their opposition away.
They scored four goals without reply for the second game in a row, also making it the first time since March that they have kept clean sheets in consecutive games.
It makes them the team to beat in the playoffs, if they weren’t already, despite not topping the regular season table in MLS, and they remain favourites.
Messi’s new supporting cast
Linked to the Suárez decision is this new look attack around Messi.
The 19-year-old Argentine Mateo Silvetti joined from Newell’s Old Boys in August and had only made one start for Inter Miami in the regular season, but has come into his own in the playoffs, having stepped in when Suárez was suspended.
He scored one and assisted another against Cincinnati, and will be pushing to start once again.
Elsewhere, 26-year-old Tadeo Allende has been the standout of the supporting players to Miami’s stars this season, and scored twice in each of the two 4-0 wins.
Add the 21-year-old Baltasar Rodríguez in midfield, and there is a young, energetic team beginning to build around Messi, which could be a sign of things to come after the Argentine recently signed a new contract that runs until 2028.
This additional energy appears to be giving them the best chance of finally going all the way in a knockout tournament this season, though they have two tough games remaining before they can lift the MLS Cup.
Opposition watch: New York City FC
New York City FC suffered a blow ahead of their conference semifinal against Philadelphia Union when star striker Alonso Martínez suffered a season-ending knee injury while on international duty with Costa Rica.
Few gave them a chance against the Supporters’ Shield winners as a result, but they emerged victorious thanks to a brilliantly worked team goal scored by Maxi Moralez.
It sets up a battle of the 38-year-old Argentines between Messi and Moralez in Fort Lauderdale in this Eastern Conference final.
New York City will again be the underdogs, but in theory, they should put up more resistance than the surprisingly fragile Cincinnati did.
They have Matt Freese in goal, who looks likely to be Mauricio Pochettino’s starting goalkeeper for the United States at the upcoming World Cup.
They also have centre-back and captain Thiago Martins, who makes a good, but rare, case for using a DP spot on a central defender in the right circumstances.
Another Argentine, Nicolás Fernández Mercau, 25, also impressed in NYC’s win in Philadelphia, and could see this as a platform on which to display his talents.
Prediction
Miami to scrape a win in a close, entertaining game, thanks to home advantage.
(Cover Image from IMAGO)
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