With Ballon d’Or speculation surrounding Lionel Messi, Inter Miami’s global icon will try to lead it to another valuable three points when the Herons host New York City FC on Wednesday night.
Messi and Luis Suarez each scored braces Saturday in a 4-0 win over D.C. United to snap a five-match winless stretch (0-1-4) and push Inter Miami (13-5-10, 49 points) back into second place in the Eastern Conference.
Messi is a strong candidate to win his ninth Ballon d’Or all-time after leading Argentina to the World Cup final and Inter Miami to its first MLS Cup title last season. He leads the MLS Golden Boot race with 23 goals this season.
Although Nashville figures to be a lock to win this year’s Supporters’ Shield with 63 points, Inter Miami can still ensure itself home-field advantage against all other MLS foes with a dominant finish.
“We want to keep pushing up the table and see if we have a chance to catch Nashville and put pressure on them,” Inter Miami goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair said. “We know it will be difficult, but we want to fight to the end and build momentum heading into the playoffs.”
NYCFC (8-11-9, 33 points) could use an upset victory as it enters on a three-match winless streak and stands three points behind FC Cincinnati and the New York Red Bulls for the final two play-in berths.
New York squandered a golden opportunity to pick up a victory against Chicago as it could not hold a 1-0 second-half lead and fell 2-1 to the home side despite having a man advantage due to a Fire red card.
New York received a boost to its lineup as its leading goal scorer last season, Alonso Martinez, made his first start of this season. Nicolas Fernandez-Mercau paces NYCFC with 15 goals.
“For us, going forward, in any of the remaining six games, (it’s about) realizing the urgency we have to have in our game, which unfortunately wasn’t there in the second half (against Chicago) — but is something that has to be on point for the remaining games — not only against Miami,” New York City coach Pascal Jansen said.
–Field Level Media
