Preview:Inter Miami vs Chicago Fire - prediction, team news, lineups

Inter Miami’s hopes of retaining the MLS Supporters’ Shield are slipping away, which is why three points are non-negotiable when they host Chicago Fire on Wednesday, October 1, at Chase Field.

The Fire are also clinging to a thread of qualifying for the MLS Cup playoffs, but they need to win here to control their own destiny in the run-in of the regular season.

Match preview

With the hosts facing a poor-performing Toronto over the weekend, it was largely expected that they would turn them over to climb into second position in the Eastern Conference.

However, after being held to a 1-1 draw, the equation for Javier Mascherano’s men to successfully defend their Supporters’ Shield just got much tougher.

Miami are seven points behind league leaders Philadelphia Union, but with two games in hand, although if the Union won their remaining two fixtures, Philly would secure top spot and the Shield with it.

The Herons must keep the pressure on the leaders with a win on Wednesday morning, and they are in excellent form, especially in front of their fans in Florida, suggesting they could make the finish interesting.

The hosts are undefeated in their last seven league matches at home, while they enter this midweek encounter without a blemish across their previous four outings at any venue.

Fans of the home side can breathe easier knowing that their team have not tasted defeat against Chicago in each of their last three head-to-heads, winning both fixtures against them last term and sharing the spoils in the reverse fixture this season.

Chicago Fire have their own ambitions this season, because they currently occupy ninth place in the East, the last available slot to get a shot at the MLS Cup playoffs.

The Fire are two points behind Columbus Crew, who are in eighth place, but with a game in hand, meaning if they can secure three points against Miami, they would be comfortable in the spot for the Wild Card match.

Gregg Berhalter’s men are one of the best-performing sides away from home, with only Inter Miami, Philadelphia Union and FC Cincinnati earning more points on the road this season.

Across both Conferences, no other team has scored more goals on their travels than Chicago Fire, who have scored 36 compared to their 23 goals in their backyard.

Considering the last eight MLS fixtures, the visitors are in better shape, securing 16 points in that sequence of results, compared to Inter’s 14.

Furthermore, the Fire’s last six games in a row have produced a winner, without any stalemates across their last three league matches in a row away from home.

The visitors will be confident going to Florida, especially since they just edge the head-to-head record with four wins compared to the host’s three, but their last win against the Herons came in 2023.

Inter Miami Major League Soccer form:

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Inter Miami form (all competitions):

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Chicago Fire Major League Soccer form:

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Team News

Mascherano was without Mateo Silvetti over the weekend, and he will not be available for the foreseeable future, because the forward is representing Argentina at the Under-20 World Cup.

Midfielder David Ruiz is still battling a hamstring injury that has kept him out since mid-September, and he is joined by Allen Obando, who is also nursing a hamstring strain.

Tadeo Allende seems to be thriving at the moment, scoring twice in two starts for the club, making it two from three for the Celta Vigo-owned forward, meaning he is likely to fire again during the week.

After returning from a three-game suspension, Luis Suarez netted last week in Inter’s 4-0 win away to New York City, and he just might strike again here, especially after bagging a brace in the reverse fixture last season.

The visitors recently signed Chris Mueller to a contract extension, which is a strange decision considering he has missed the whole season after being diagnosed with pericarditis.

Fullback Jonathan Dean also signed an extension alongside backup goalkeeper Jeffrey Gal, but the former is likely to come to make an appearance in Florida on Wednesday.

Berhalter does have some bad news, because new signing Viktor Radojevic still has not kicked a football for the club after joining just over a month ago from Serbian side FK TSC.

Additionally, defender Samuel Rogers picked up a caution the last time out against Columbus Crew, which means he must serve a one-game suspension for accumulating five yellow cards.

The visitors will no doubt rely on Hugo Cuypers to lead the line and provide all the attacking impetus; the Belgian is the club’s top scorer in MLS with 17 goals in 30 appearances this season, 10 more than he got last term in 31 matches.

Inter Miami possible starting lineup:

Ustari; Fray, Picart, Allen, Alba; Allende, De Paul, Busquets; Rodriguez; Messi; Suarez

Chicago Fire possible starting lineup:

Brady; Waterman, Elliott, Pineda; Bamba, Franco, D’Avilla, Zinckernagel; Barroso, Gutman, Cuypers