Fresh off his leading role in winning Inter Miami's first trophy, Lionel Messi now turns the page to other fronts as Inter Miami travel to FC Cincinnati for the semifinals of the U.S. Open Cup.
Messi scored 10 goals in seven matches with Inter Miami across the Leagues Cup, his first taste of soccer in the United States. He helped lead the club to the new tournament's title, victorious in the penalty shootout over Nashville SC on the weekend.
Now, Messi will hope to lead Inter Miami to the doorstep of the U.S. Open Cup title before making his official Major League Soccer debut against the New York Red Bulls on Saturday.
The challenge is steep — Inter Miami, still sitting bottom of the table in the Eastern Conference league standings, are matched up against the Supporters' Shield leaders FC Cincinnati, who have the best record of any MLS team. However, their return from the Leagues Cup break on Sunday resulted in a comprehensive 3-0 defeat to Columbus Crew, showing there are cracks in the foundation.
LIVE BLOG: Follow along with updates & highlights as Lionel Messi and Inter Miami meet FC Cincinnati
FC Cincinnati vs Inter Miami match facts
- Date: Wednesday, August 21
- Kickoff Time: 7 p.m. ET / 12 a.m. BST (Thu, Aug. 22) / 9 a.m. AEST (Thu, Aug. 22)
- Location: TQL Stadium (Cincinnati, OH)
- Last meeting: FC Cincinnati 1-0 Inter Miami (Apr. 1, 2023 | MLS)
MORE: Lionel Messi odds to score a goal vs FC Cincinnati and all Inter Miami matches so far
FC Cincinnati vs Inter Miami prediction, odds
- Moneyline lean: Inter Miami (+115)
- Score prediction: FC Cincinnati 1-3 Inter Miami
Inter Miami are favorites for this match, understandably so as no team has yet managed to best them with Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba on the side. Yet FC Cincinnati are clearly given a chance to succeed and advance to the final, with Inter Miami only sporting, plus three-way moneyline odds.
While the winner seems to be in question, there's no debating that the betting market expects goals. The total has been inflated to 3.5, and both teams are widely expected to find the back of the net.
MORE: Lionel Messi proving just as effective a captain & leader as he is a goal scorer
| Cincinnati win (90 mins) | Draw (90 mins) | Miami win (90 mins) | Both teams to score Y / N | Over / Under 3.5 goals | CIN advance | MIA advance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BetMGM (USA) | +170 | +250 | +115 | -225 / +150 | +120 / -165 | +105 | -145 |
| Sports Interaction (Canada) | +172 | +252 | +113 | -244 / +149 | +118 / -164 | — | — |
FC Cincinnati vs Inter Miami: best bet
- Pick: Half with most goals — 1H
- Odds: +210 (BetMGM)
While most of the goal props are juiced, we can still be on goals, and goals early. Inter Miami have come out of the gates strong in every game they play, and while they often fade late, it forces the opponent to match early and often.
Three of Inter Miami's seven games so far have seen goals in the first half, a very manageable number given the odds and potential return. While Nashville's return is more evenly split, four of their last five games have seen at least two combined goals before the break, a strong sign that the game will be open from the beginning.
Until the Leagues Cup final, Inter Miami had opened the scoring inside 12 minutes of every game with Lionel Messi on the field, and even then they found a first-half strike.
MORE: Lionel Messi nearing the longest scoring streak of his career with Inter Miami
FC Cincinnati vs Inter Miami live stream, TV channel
MORE: Watch Premier League matches live with Fubo in USA
| TV channel | Streaming | |
|---|---|---|
| USA | Telemundo (Spanish) | Fubo, Paramount+, Peacock, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo, CBS Sports Golazo |
| Canada | — | DAZN |
| Malaysia | Astro Supersport 2 | Astro Go, sooka |
