Inter Miami are on the precipice of another trophy as Lionel Messi's arrival has sparked a sharp boost in not only form, but achievements as well.
They host Houston Dynamo in the 2023 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup final on Wednesday, looking to secure a second piece of silverware this season after winning the Leagues Cup a month ago.
Prior to Messi's arrival, Inter Miami had not won a trophy in club history, but now they could go two-for-two. Messi's involvement was uncertain, suffering from what the club insists is "fatigue" and doubtful for not just this game but also future MLS matches on the Inter Miami schedule. Indeed, despite reports that he could be involved off the bench, Messi was not included on the team sheet and will not participate.
The Dynamo, one of the league's most tenured clubs, won their first U.S. Open Cup — the nation's oldest competitive athletic team trophy — in 2018 and could become just the sixth club still in existence to win the competition multiple times.
LIVE BLOG: Follow the US Open Cup final live with team news, commentary, highlights, and more
U.S. Open Cup final: Inter Miami vs Houston Dynamo live stream, TV channel
In the United States, there are multiple options to watch the 2023 U.S. Open Cup final between Inter Miami and Houston Dynamo.
The match will be televised on CBS Sports Network, with streaming available on CBS's online platform Paramount+. CBS Sports Network is also available to be streamed on Fubo.
It will also be broadcast in Spanish on both Telemundo and Universo, which can both be streamed via Fubo as well.
In Canada, the match will be streamed by DAZN.
MORE: Watch Premier League matches live with Fubo in USA
| TV channel | Streaming | |
|---|---|---|
| USA | English: CBS Sports Network Spanish: Telemundo, Universo | English: Fubo, Paramount+ Spanish: Fubo, Peacock |
| Canada | — | DAZN |
What time does the 2023 U.S. Open Cup final kick off?
The 2023 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup final from DRV PNK Stadium kicks off on Wednesday, September 27 at 8:30 p.m. local time in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
Here's how that time translates across some of the major territories:
| Date | Kickoff time | |
| USA/Canada | Wed, Sep. 27 | 8:30 p.m. ET |
| USA/Canada | Wed, Sep. 27 | 5:30 p.m. PT |
| UK | Thu, Sep. 28 | 1:30 a.m. BST |
| Australia | Thu, Sep. 28 | 10:30 a.m. AEST |
| India | Thu, Sep. 28 | 6 a.m. IST |
| Hong Kong | Thu, Sep. 28 | 8:30 a.m. HKT |
| Malaysia | Thu, Sep. 28 | 8:30 a.m. MYT |
| Singapore | Thu, Sep. 28 | 8:30 a.m. SGT |
| New Zealand | Thu, Sep. 28 | 12:30 p.m. NZST |
Inter Miami vs Houston Dynamo projected lineups & team news
Inter Miami has publicly insisted their goal is to have Lionel Messi fit to start this match, prioritizing the U.S. Open Cup final over the MLS playoff run. Tata Martino indicated that if this was a regular league match, Messi would not be risked, but since it's a cup final, "we might take that risk".
It seemed that all signs pointed towards Messi being involved in some manner, possibly off the bench. Instead, he does not appear on the Inter Miami team sheet and therefore will not play in the match. Martino indicated in his pre-match press conference that they will "wait until the last minute" to see how Messi feels, and it seems he has not proven fit. Martino was more pessimistic about Jordi Alba's participation, and he too misses out.
The Inter Miami coach has been rotating between tactical setups, sometimes operating with four at the back and sometimes three, so it's been difficult to predict his starting lineup from game to game. The coach addressed this on Tuesday, noting that the lack of time between matches has been difficult to combat.
Inter Miami starting lineup (4-3-3): Callender (GK) — Yedlin, Kryvtsov, Miller, Allen — Gomez, Busquets, Cremaschi — Taylor, Campana, Farias.
The only injuries for Houston Dynamo are long-term issues for Ifunanyachi Achara and Tate Schmitt. Achara has a knee issue that will keep him out for another few weeks, while Schmitt's torn ACL has him done for the year.
Otherwise, the Dynamo will be at full strength for this final, with international veterans Hector Herrera and Coco Carrasquilla to run the midfield, supporting the attacking spine of Amine Bassi and Corey Baird.
Andrew Tarbell has been charged with goalkeeping duties throughout the U.S. Open Cup fixtures, so he is deployed over regular No. 1 Steve Clark as head coach Ben Olsen decides against switching things up for the final.
Houston Dynamo starting lineup (4-3-3): Tarbell (GK) — Escobar, Sviatchenko, Micael, Dorsey — Carrasquilla, Herrera, Artur — Bassi, Baird, Quinones.
U.S. Open Cup betting odds & lines
While Messi's club was heavily favored early, the odds for Inter Miami have come down considerably over the past few days. They sat at -275 to win the trophy and -155 to win in 90 minutes, but those have been reeled in significantly, now standing at just -200 to hoist the cup and -115 to do so in regulation.
Still, it's likely that Messi can see this team through to victory. While they needed penalties to get past Nashville SC in the Leagues Cup final, Houston are less tenacious of a club, and in their home stadium, they should manage to pull through.
| Inter Miami win (90 mins) | Draw | Houston win (90 mins) | Both teams to score Y / N | Over / Under 3.5 goals | Inter Miami lift trophy | Houston lift trophy | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BetMGM (USA) | -115 | +250 | +225 | -200 / +135 | +130 / -190 | -200 | +140 |
| Sports Interaction (Canada) | -112 | +267 | +232 | -213 / +132 | +132 / -185 | — | — |
