Inter Miami
will look to extend its lead atop the
MLS
standings when they pay a visit to the
Chicago Fire FC
who are chasing a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Inter Miami became the first team to clinch a playoff berth on August 24 by virtue of a home victory powered by two goals from Luis Suarez. The Fire last week came back from a 2-0 deficit on the road to secure a stoppage-time draw at NYCFC and they remain within two points of the wild card spots in the East.
Miami will once again be without superstar Lionel Messi, who misses his eighth straight match with an ankle injury picked up in the 2024
America’s Cup
final. He started training with his teammates this past week and will have a two-week international break in September to recover ahead of the next league match on September 14.
A crowd of over 62,000 packed Soldier Field last October in the hope of seeing Messi, who also missed that trip to Chicago. Inter Miami should still draw a crowd with Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba in action. Plus, the Fire are staging a special one-hour Saturday night performance from musical artist Jason Derulo.
Chicago vs Inter Miami Lineups
League leaders carry a lengthy list of absences into the match
Chicago Fire manager Frank Klopas welcomes back the hard-working Fabian Herbers to the matchday squad after he missed last week’s 2-2 away draw at NYCFC with a knock. Both Herbers and defender Carlos Teranwho came out of the same match at halftime with an injury, were training all week, according to reports.
Outside the injured Chase Gasper and Mauricio Pineda, it’s otherwise a full bill of health. Pineda was originally listed as questionable, but he misses the match.
- Chicago Fire Lineup (4-3-3, left to right): 34-Chris Brady (GK) — 15-Andrew Gutman, 5-Rafael Czichos, 14-Tobias Salquist, 2-Arnaud Souquet — 31-Federico Navarro, 30-Gaston Giménez, 8-Chris Mueller— 7-Maren Haile-Selassie, 17-Brian Gutierrez, 9-Hugo Cuypers
- Subs (9): 18-Spencer Richey (GK), 4-Carlos Terán, 16-Wyatt Omsberg, 27-Allan Arigoni, 23-Kellyn Acosta, 21-Fabian Herbers, 19-Georgios Koutsias, 12-Tom Barlow, 11-Ariel Lassiter
- Injured: Out – Chase Gasper (leg), Mauricio Pineda (leg)
- Suspended: None
- Misses next match with yellow card: Rafael Czichos
Inter Miami manager Tata Martino has to do without seven players out due to injuryincluding Lionel Messi, and another starter out due to red card suspension (Tomas Aviles). The Herons still have a more than competent starting XI to roll out against Chicago with the likes of Benja Cremaschi, Robert Taylor and Leonardo Campana available off the bench.
- Inter Miami Lineup (3-4-3, left to right): 1-Drake Callender — 14-Hector David Martinez, 5-Sergio Busquets, 17-Ian Fray — 18-Jordi Alba, 55-Federico Redondo, 42-Yannick Bright, 57-Marcelo Weigandt — 20-Diego Gomez, 9-Luis Suarez, 24-Julian Gressel
- Subs (9): 99-Cole Jensen (GK), 15-Ryan Sailor, 27-Sergiy Kryvstsov, 32-Noah Allen, 33-Franco Negri, 41-David Ruiz, 30-Benja Cremaschi, 16-Robert Taylor, 8-Leonardo Campana
- Injured: Out – Leo Afonso (groin), CJ Dos Santos (hand), Facundo Farias (knee), Nicolas Freire (knee), Lionel Messi (ankle), Matias Rojas (ankle), Lawson Sunderland (hamstring)
- Suspended: Tomas Aviles (red card)
- Misses next match with yellow card: Sergio Busquets, Noah Allen
Where to Watch Chicago vs Inter Miami
The MLS regular season match is available around the world on Apple TV
Chicago welcome Inter Miami to Soldier Field, hoping to avenge a 2-1 loss on July 20 in Florida, where Jordi Alba scored the game-winner.
- Match: Chicago Fire vs. Inter Miami CF (MLS Regular Season)
- Date: Saturday, August 31, 2024
- Time: 8:30 p.m. EDT
- Stadium: Soldier Field (Chicago, Ill.)
- TV Channel: None
- Live Stream: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV
Both teams will have two weeks off after this match due to the September FIFA international window. When they return in September, there will be just seven matches remaining in the regular season, which ends on Saturday, October 19.
Chicago vs Inter Miami Betting Odds
League leaders surprisingly go into Chicago as the underdogs
Just hours before the match, the betting market had the home team as the slight favorites in the match, even though they have a mere 4W-5L-3D record at Soldier Field. Inter Miami’s away record this season is 8W-2L-2D.
Perhaps it’s the absence of Lionel Messi and the long injury list that’s fueling the market moving toward Chicago, who have just two wins in their last eight matches in league play.
- Chicago Fire to win: +145 (Tie no bet -120)
- Draw: +260
- Inter Miami to win: +170 (Tie no bet -120)
- Over/Under 2.5 goals: -188 / +140
- Both Teams To Score (Yes/No): -200 / +150
- Spread: Pick’em
- Goal Line: 3
The odds also point to goals in the match — at least three, according to the goal line (3) — with both teams expected to find the back of the net (-200 odds), which has happened in 20 of 26 Inter Miami matches (77 percent) and 17 of 26 Chicago matches (65 percent). The -200 odds for both teams to score have an implied probability of 66.67 percent.
