The knockout phase of the 2023 Leagues Cup begins with a Florida derby as Inter Miami CF host Orlando City SC at DRV PNK Stadium in the Round of 32.
Both teams won their groups in the South bracket, but in very different ways as the Herons edged Cruz Azul 2-1 on a 94th-minute free kick by Lionel Messi followed by a dominant 4-0 victory over Atlanta United with Messi scoring twice.
The Lions needed a penalty shootout to get past the Houston Dynamo in their group stage opener before a 2-1 victory over Santos Laguna thanks to a 92nd-minute strike from Wilder Cartegena that won South 3.
A spot in the Round of 16 against either Mazatlan FC or FC Dallas awaits the winner of this match.
Team news
Inter Miami CF
Coach Tata Martino confirmed that Jordi Alba, signed on July 21st, will be available for selection but didn't specify whether the former Barcelona defender would start or be named as a substitute.
The Herons also acquired Diego Gomez, Facundo Farias and Tomas Aviles with the trio are awaiting their debuts with the South Florida outfit.
Gregore (Lisfranc), Corentin Jean (ACL), Jean Mota (LCL), Franco Negri (ACL) and Nicolas Stefanelli (leg) are all out.
Robbie Robinson (calf) and Ryan Sailor (hamstring) are listed as questionable.
Gaston Gonzalez (left thigh), Adam Grinwis (concussion protocol), Mikey Halliday (left thigh) and Abdi Salim (left knee) will all miss out.
Predicted lineups
Inter Miami CF: Callender; Allen, Miller, Kryvtsov, Yedlin; Cremaschi, Arroyo, Busquets; Taylor, Martinez, Messi
Orlando City SC: Gallese; Santos, Jansson, Carlos, Smith; Cartagena, Araujo; Angulo, Pereyra, Torres; McGuire
Ones to watch
Lionel Messi (Inter Miami CF)
Who else would it be? His impact on both Miami and the league can already be felt as his three goals and two assists in Leagues Cup play only tell part of the story.
With the signings of Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and others, the full effect of perhaps soccer's greatest-ever player is only beginning to take hold.
The pieces brought in to complement Messi's unique skill set fit even if they are mostly in the advanced stages of their career and MLS should be thankful of his arrival.
Duncan McGuire (Orlando City SC)
Another in the long line of outstanding draft picks by the Lions, McGuire has ten goals across all competitions and his constant intensity and outstanding work rate make him a nightmare to defend.
At his size, the 22-year-old is often effective when pressing opponents as evidenced when he forced a turnover against Houston and scored into an empty net.
Giving Orlando another weapon in attack to go along with Facundo Torres, the former Creighton standout looks to be the next superstar in MLS.
Previous meetings
In MLS play, Orlando is 5-3-3 against Miami with the Lions coming out on top 3-1 earlier this season.
Ercan Kara opened the scoring in the 19th minute as throw deep in the Miami half, he was able to nod the ball backward and over goalkeeper Drake Callender.
The Herons were level on 57 minutes as Josef Martinez found Leonardo Campana just outside of the box and after he cut back to the middle, his strike crept just under the bar.
Orlando went in front for good, Rodrigo Schlegel spotting Kara and his through ball looped over the Miami defense for Martin Ojeda, who calmly slid the ball home.
Four minutes from time, Ojeda's ball in the box was held up by Duncan McGuire and he passed to Rafael Santos, whose low, hard shot beat Callender.
How to watch
The match can be seen live on Apple TV + and MLS Season Pass. Kickoff time is 8pm Eastern.