Inter Miami CF have already booked a place in the MLS Cup playoffs. Their next goal is the Supporters’ Shield as they travel to face the Chicago Fire on Saturday at Soldier Field.
Miami (17-4-5, 56 points) secured a postseason spot last weekend with a 2-0 win over FC Cincinnati — its third straight MLS victory — thanks to two Luis Suarez goals within the first six minutes. Suarez’s brace gave him 14 goals, three behind Real Salt Lake’s Cristian Arango and D.C. United’s Christian Benteke for the league lead.
“We have a lot to play for as far as our season objectives,” Miami coach Tata Martino said. “We want to win the Supporters’ Shield. If we felt that by clinching a playoff spot last week we could now slow down, we’d be making a big mistake.”
Miami hoped to welcome Lionel Messi back to the lineup on Saturday after the star midfielder trained with the team on Thursday and Friday, but he was ruled out following the Friday session.
Messi hasn’t played in a match since getting injured while helping Argentina win the Copa America final against Colombia on July 14.
Regarding when Messi might return, Martino said, “There are matters that are discussed a lot with him, and it depends on how he’s feeling. It’s an injury that’s lasted over six weeks, so we need to stay calm and be absolutely sure,”
The Fire (6-12-8, 26 points) are two points out of the ninth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with eight matches remaining. But they must leapfrog three teams ahead of them to claim a postseason spot.
Chicago scored two second-half goals — including Brian Gutierrez’s match-tying penalty in stoppage time — to claim a 2-2 draw at New York City FC in its last contest. It will face a much stiffer challenge on Saturday against Miami, which leads MLS with 58 goals.
“We know they want to start fast,” Fire coach Frank Klopas said. “We have to be ready, knowing that they want to come out and try to take an early lead. Then we just have to be ready for that.”
Martino’s job is ensuring his team doesn’t overlook the Fire, despite the gap in the standings between the two sides.
“There are not many easy rivals in MLS,” he said. “When we played in Chicago on their home field last year, we gave up four goals. They are still in the hunt for a playoff or play-in spot.”
Hugo Cuypers leads the Fire with 10 goals — his 78th-minute tally against NYCFC ending a stretch of four matches without a goal.
Miami will be without defender Tomas Aviles, who was shown a red card in the last match.
–Field Level Media
