Preview:Inter Miami vs. Orlando City - prediction, team news, lineups

Inter Miami host Orlando City in Wednesday night's Leagues Cup semi-final at Chase Stadium, aiming to defeat their Florida rivals and reach the final on August 31.

The match is one of two all-MLS semi-finals in the competition, and the 2023 winners are determined to secure victory by avenging their 4-1 league loss a fortnight ago to have a chance of clinching another title.

Match preview

Inter Miami are just one win away from reaching another final in the Leagues Cup, which the club won two years ago shortly after Lionel Messi's arrival.

The Herons were among the four MLS teams to advance under the new format, after Javier Mascherano's side remained unbeaten through three group-stage fixtures.

The Florida-based club recorded two victories within 90 minutes against Atlas and Pumas UNAM, along with a penalty shootout win against Necaxa, leaving them on eight points after three group matches (the unique format means teams earn one point for shootout wins).

While they have already reached the semi-finals by defeating Tigres UANL 2-1 in the quarter-finals, it is notable that Mascherano's side have yet to keep a clean sheet in the competition.

The 2023 champions conceded once in their 90-minute wins during the group stage and twice in the 2-2 draw with Necaxa before securing a 5-4 victory on penalties, and it will be interesting to see if this tendency to concede goals could threaten their ambition to reach yet another final.

Orlando City narrowly advanced from the league phase ahead of the Portland Timbers, thanks to a better goal difference after both teams finished with the same number of wins in regulation time.

After progressing from phase one, Oscar Pareja’s team then secured a penalty shootout victory over Toluca on August 20 to reach the semi-finals of the competition for the first time, following a goalless 90 minutes.

However, a much-changed team were handed a heavy 5-1 defeat by Nashville SC at the weekend, a far from ideal result before facing their Miami-based opponents on Wednesday.

While that loss continued the Lions’ two-month run without a league clean sheet — Orlando last kept an opponent from scoring in June's 1-0 win over the Colorado Rapids — shipping five goals was unusual for the Florida-based club, who had conceded just two goals on three occasions in the past two months across all competitions, with only one of those matches ending in a defeat.

Seeking to bounce back from that recent heavy loss, Pareja’s team hope that their three-match unbeaten run against Inter Miami will serve them well in the Leagues Cup semi-final.

Orlando City have secured back-to-back wins in May and August, following a goalless draw in their last competitive encounter last year, highlighting their recent dominance over the Herons, whom they have outscored 7-1 across both competitive MLS victories this year.

Inter Miami Leagues Cup form:

Inter Miami form (all competitions):

Orlando City Leagues Cup form:

Orlando City form (all competitions):

Team News

Messi has missed the Herons' last two games in all competitions since scoring and assisting against the LA Galaxy earlier this month, and the 38-year-old is touch-and-go for Wednesday night's semi-final.

Expected to miss out, though, are Jordi Alba and Allen Obando, whose knee and hamstring injuries could keep them out of the Florida derby.

Despite Messi's fitness concerns, Luis Suarez has scored three times and assisted two en route to the semi-final, making the veteran striker a capable match-winner for the Herons.

Martin Ojeda's goal contributions have eclipsed Suarez's, with the forward scoring three times and setting up as many in four appearances, making him the away side's main attacking threat.

Luis Muriel has netted three goals across the Lions' two MLS wins over Inter Miami, and the Colombian forward's menace cannot be underplayed ahead of the midweek clash.

The Lions must get through this week's semi-final without Duncan McGuire, Wilder Cartagena and Yutaro Tsukada, who are sidelined with shoulder, Achilles and knee injuries, respectively.

Inter Miami possible starting lineup:

Ustari; Fray, Lujan, Falcon, Allen; De Paul, Busquets; Allende, Messi, Segovia; Suarez

Orlando City possible starting lineup:

Gallese; Freeman, Schlegel, Jansson, Brekalo; Atuesta, Araujo; Pasalic, Ojeda, Angulo; Muriel

We say: Inter Miami 1-2 Orlando City

Messi’s questionable fitness and Alba’s potential absence make it an uphill battle for Inter Miami against an opponent they have found challenging in recent encounters.

The Herons’ captain’s participation is no certainty of victory, especially considering he was part of the team that lost 3-0 in May, further suggesting Orlando City might have the upper hand in this fixture.

While both teams are expected to score, the Lions’ recent dominance over Inter Miami indicates that Pareja’s team could just edge their hosts in Wednesday’s Florida derby.

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