Inter Miami are no longer at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings, but they still have a long way to go to get into the Major League Soccer playoff picture.
The Major League Soccer 2023 odds aren’t optimistic on Inter Miami’s playoff chances since they’re still in the bottom half, but they have reasons to believe since they have the GOAT on their side.
The Herons will stake their undefeated league run against Sporting KC, who are also on a winning streak and chasing a playoff berth. And there are a couple more games that will surely interest football fans.
The LA Galaxy are going to host Western Conference leaders St. Louis, while Philadelphia and FC Cincinnati are slated for a top-four clash in the Eastern Conference.
Continue reading below as SBOTOP dives deep into these mouthwatering matches.
Inter Miami vs Sporting KC
Three crucial points are up for grabs between these two teams that are currently outside of the playoff picture as Inter Miami host Sporting KC for the first time this season on Saturday.
Inter Miami have yet to lose a single game across all competitions since Lionel Messi and his friends arrived. After winning the Leagues Cup trophy last month and eliminating FC Cincinnati in the US Open Cup semi-finals, the Herons are now undefeated in three consecutive Major League Soccer matches.
Lionel Messi’s Major League Soccer debut ended in a 2-0 win over the NY Red Bulls. And after they were held to a 0-0 draw against Nashville, they managed to defeat LAFC 3-1 in an inter-conference matchup on Monday.
Against LAFC, Lionel Messi didn’t score, but he set up two of three Inter Miami goals, with Jordi Alba netting for the first time in the league. Facundo Farias also recorded his first goal of the regular season, while Leonardo Campana notched his fifth.
Given their current form, one has to wonder where the Herons would have been had Messi and his friends arrived in South Beach earlier in the season.
As for Sporting KC, they are fresh from an impressive 2-1 comeback against St. Louis to inch closer towards a potential return to the postseason.
Alan Pulido was the hero for Sporting KC with his brace against the Western Conference leaders, and he’s in line to hit the half-century mark in starts for the team.
Sporting KC should give Inter Miami all that they can handle, especially since they have the majority of their squad available compared to Inter Miami.
Betting Tip – Draw 1X2 @ 3.40
LA Galaxy vs St. Louis
The hope for LA Galaxy that it’s not yet too late to make a playoff push. Los Galacticos are currently 13th in the Western Conference, although they’re on a three-game undefeated run.
A 3-0 win against Chicago has surely given Los Galacticos a huge boost. After the said victory, LA Galaxy managed to score a 3-2 comeback win against San Jose before being held to a goalless draw by the Houston Dynamo on Sunday.
Riqui Puig has been the catalyst in LA Galaxy’s recent run of good Major League Soccer 2023 results, as he took his goal contribution tally to eight in his last six regular-season games. The 24-year-old midfielder has been the beacon of hope for Los Galacticos, and the good news is that he’s in it for the long haul.
St. Louis, on the other hand, had struggled to assert their dominance in the Western Conference recently, with two losses in their last four matches, and their last road win in Major League Soccer was against Toronto FC in July.
Betting Tip – LA Galaxy Asian Handicap -0.75 @ 2.17
Philadelphia vs FC Cincinnati
Philadelphia are keen to exact revenge on FC Cincinnati, who beat them 1-0 earlier this season.
Luciano Acosta scored the lone goal to seal FC Cincinnati’s third straight victory at the time, and he will be the key man once again. He is currently at the top of Major League Soccer’s MVP Power Rankings with his league-best 24 goal contributions on the season.
Philadelphia are coming off a dominant 4-1 victory against the NY Red Bulls, with Jakob Glesnes, Damion Lowe, Julian Carranza, and Daniel Gazdag finding the back of the net.
However, the Union are concerned about Daniel Gazdag’s status, as he limped off the pitch against the Red Bulls after sustaining a non-contact injury. Losing Gazdag is going to be a huge blow for Philadelphia because he’s their second-leading scorer behind Julian Carranza with 11 goals this term.
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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