Preview:FC Cincinnati vs Inter Miami - prediction, team news, lineups

The MLS post-season is down to the business end, with FC Cincinnati locking horns with Inter Miami in the Eastern Conference semi-finals on Sunday, November 23.

Effectively a quarter-final, it is a pure knockout game, where, if the scores are level after 90 minutes, there will be 30 minutes of extra time and then penalties if a winner can not be found inside 120 minutes.

Match preview

Cincinnati came out of their Hell is Real rivalry with Columbus Crew, winning the best-of-three series 2-1 to book a place in the conference semi-finals, only the second time they have done so.

It was clear that home advantage was crucial for the Garys, who secured both victories at their TQL Stadium home, while suffering defeat in the second leg on the road.

The Orange and Blue had a wonderful season, finishing second in the East on the MLS table, registering 20 wins along the way, but winning tightly has become a common thread for the hosts.

Pat Noonan's side won 16 of their 20 regular-season matches by a single-goal margin, while both triumphs against the Crew in the playoffs arrived by a one-goal difference.

Defensively, they are a fairly solid unit, but they hardly control matches and instead rely on the individual brilliance of some of their attackers, who produce moments of magic.

However, the home side should be confident ahead of this one, especially because they are unbeaten against this opposition this season, dispatching the Florida outfit 3-0 in the corresponding fixture.

With a place in the conference final on the line - effectively the MLS playoff semi-finals - Cincy must be at their best to keep the visitors at bay.

Since their 5-3 home defeat to Chicago in October, Javier Mascherano has tweaked his team selection ever so slightly, which has seen them produce better results.

Inter Miami were confident in their home legs against Nashville SC, scoring seven goals across both fixtures, but the fact that they were defeated on the road is concerning.

The Herons have everything to give in this knockout game, especially because they have no silverware this season, after losing in the Leagues Cup final, getting dumped out of the Concacaf Champions Cup at the semi-final stage, and finishing a point off retaining the Supporters' Shield.

Miami will depend heavily on their attack, which is the third-best MLS has ever seen in terms of xG per game.

Despite not being great defensively, the Herons look more motivated at this stage of the campaign than ever before, and they will understand that they are walking into Cincinnati as the underdogs on paper.

However, with the experience and class that the visitors have in their ranks, they are capable of causing an upset on the day to register their first away victory against this opponent since 2021.

FC Cincinnati Major League Soccer form:

Inter Miami Major League Soccer form:

Team News

Ender Echenique will likely miss this encounter after injuring his knee on international duty, while Bradley Smith and Matt Miazga are still battling their respective injuries.

Cincy's hopes will rest with their attacking trio of Brenner, Kevin Denkey and Evander, the latter being an absolute game-changer with his 18 goals and 15 assists in the regular season.

Evander has scored three goals from free kicks, another example of how he can create a threat from nothing, while Brenner netted a brace the last time out and will be high on confidence.

At the back, USMNT defender Miles Robinson will be key to keeping the Herons at bay, as will goalkeeper Roman Celentano, who has proven to be one of the most dependable in that position in the league.

The Inter Miami talisman is no doubt Lionel Messi, who produced five goals and three assists in the best-of-three series against Nashville.

The Argentine captain's individual brilliance will be difficult for the hosts to handle, as he can turn a game on its head by himself.

However, he is ably supported by the likes of Tadeo Allende, who bagged three goals and an assist against the Coyotes, and Rodrigo De Paul, who has seriously raised his game in recent months.

FC Cincinnati possible starting lineup:

Celentano; Hadebe, Robinson, Engel; Powell, Gidi, Bucha, Orellano; Evander; Brenner, Denkey

Inter Miami possible starting lineup:

Rios; Fray, Falcon, Allen, Alba; Busquets, De Paul; Allende, Messi, Rodriguez; Suarez

We say: FC Cincinnati 1-2 Inter Miami

While the hosts are favourites to go through, Inter Miami's star-studded quality cannot be ignored.

When it comes to taking the game by the scruff of the neck, few can compare to Messi, and there is every chance that he, along with his former FC Barcelona teammates, will drag Miami over the line.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.