The MLS is finally in the business end of the season, and we’ll see Inter Miami and New York City go head-to-head to be crowned Eastern Conference champions.
Inter Miami come into the big game having finished 3rd in the Eastern Conference table and overall MLS table this season, while New York nine points behind them in fifth in the East, and ninth in the overall table after a tough campaign.
We’ll take a look at the match and provide you with our best free soccer betting picks to see if we can earn you some extra cash, while you enjoy the action on the pitch.
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After a shock early elimination in the 2024 playoffs, Inter Miami came into the campaign as the pre-season favorites once more, but they struggled to live up to those standards.
Over 34 games, Lionel Messi earned the Golden Boot and led his team to 19 wins, with a league-high 81 team goals in the process, proving that they are by far and away the best attacking team in the league. They did, however, lose seven games, conceding 55 goals, more than any other team in the top 12 of the table.
A third-place finish meant they qualified for the first round of the playoffs, where they took on Nashville SC in a best-of-three game series.
Game one saw them claim a dominant 3-1 victory, as Messi scored twice, but the team then fell to a 2-1 defeat in game two, setting up a win-or-go-home scenario in game three. Star man Messi once again stepped up to the plate, scoring twice to guide Inter Miami to a convincing 4-1 win and earn them a place in the next round.
There they took on FC Cincinnati in a straight knockout game, and the Argentine, who is widely considered to be the greatest of all time, scored and registered three assists to earn a huge 4-0 win and set this match up.
New York were looking to progress this season after losing out to local rivals in the Eastern Conference semi-finals last year, and they have been successful in doing just that.
Their regular season was relatively disappointing, however, as Pascal Jansen led the team to 17 wins in their 34 MLS games. The problem the team had was scoring goals, as New York managed just 50 goals in those games, while they also conceded 44 goals.
That earned them a ninth-place finish in the overall table and a fifth-place finish in the East, which set up a first-round playoff series against Charlotte FC, where they earned a 1-0 win in the opening game thanks to an Adrian Martinez goal.
Game 2 saw the teams hold each other to a 0-0 draw, but Axel Ojeda missed the crucial penalty in the shootout which meant there was then a third fixture. New York went on the road again, and claimed a thrilling 3-1 win thanks to goals from Martinez and two from Nicolas Fernandez, to seal a place in the semi-final.
But instead of going out as they did last year, New York earned a big 1-0 win over Philadelphia Union to reach the conference finals and set up this match.
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The best player of all-time, the greatest goalscorer in Inter Miami’s history and someone playing at his absolute best right now, Messi’s performance will determine the winner of this game.
The 35-year-old has recently signed a new contract to continue in the MLS beyond this season, and his mind will be firmly set on ensuring he reaches next summer’s World Cup tournament in prime condition.
Winning the MLS Cup would go a long way to helping that, and having scored in every playoff game he’s played in so far this season, it’s hard to see how he doesn’t continue that run against a team where he will see plenty of the ball.
New York will look to sit deep and frustrate their opponents, which should see Messi drop slightly deeper to collect the ball and make things happen. But what it also means is that he will be able to arrive into the box later, and unmarked, to finish off the moves that he starts.
At odds of -205 the value isn’t the greatest, but in a game that is likely to be fairly unpredictable, this feels like a bit of a sure thing considering the man in question. Take it before it gets backed heavily and pushed out further.
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About the Author
Daniel is a football writer who has a great thirst for the Premier League and other major European leagues. A lover of the beautiful game and a firm believer that the eye test is better than statistics. Also an avid MMA fan.
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