Lionel Messi and Inter Miami return from their hard-fought draw on the west coast to meet in-state rivals Orlando City SC at home on Saturday.
Inter Miami were battered by the LA Galaxy across much of their game last weekend, but after securing a late man advantage in the 88th minute, Messi's stoppage-time equalizer snatched a 1-1 draw at Dignity Health Sports Park, giving them four points and a place atop the Eastern Conference standings after two games.
Now, they have an early home date with a budding rival, with the league looking to build this fixture up as the "Florida Rivalry." Despite Inter Miami being in just its fourth season of existence, these two clubs have already met an incredible 13 times, including in last year's Leagues Cup Round of 32 in which Inter Miami won 3-1 on a Messi brace en route to their eventual title.
Orlando City were blanked by CF Montreal at home in a 0-0 draw to start their 2024 season last weekend, but they scored six goals over two legs against Cavalry in the CONCACAF Champions Cup and boast the unexpected return of last year's top scorer Duncan McGuire.
What time is Inter Miami vs Orlando City kickoff?
This MLS match kicks off at Chase Stadium on Saturday, March 2 at 4:30 p.m. local time in Ft. Lauderdale, FL.
Here's how that time translates across all of the time zones in the United States:
| Date | Kickoff time | |
| Eastern Time | Sat, Mar. 2 | 4:30 p.m. |
| Central Time | Sat, Mar. 2 | 3:30 p.m. |
| Mountain Time | Sat, Mar. 2 | 2:30 p.m. |
| Pacific Time | Sat, Mar. 2 | 1:30 p.m. |
| Alaska ST | Sat, Mar. 2 | 12:30 p.m. |
| Hawaii ST | Sat, Mar. 2 | 11:30 a.m. |
Inter Miami vs Orlando City live stream, TV channel
- Date: Saturday, March 2, 2024
- Time: 4:30 p.m. ET / 1:30 p.m. PT
- Streaming (Global): MLS Season Pass from Apple TV
- TV channel (USA): FOX (English), FOX Deportes (Spanish)
- Streaming (USA): Fubo, FOX Sports app/website
Every single match of the 2024 MLS regular season, playoffs, and Leagues Cup can all be found across the globe exclusively on MLS Season Pass from Apple TV.
Learn how to sign up here and catch every game all year long.
This Inter Miami vs. Orlando City match is part of this weekend's selection of games available for free on MLS Season Pass, for anyone to view without needing a subscription. Apple TV makes up to six matches each week available for free, while the rest require an MLS Season Pass subscription to access.
Additionally, this match has been selected for television broadcast in the United States on FOX, with a Spanish-language broadcast also available via FOX Deportes. Both channels are available to stream in the U.S. on Fubo.
Inter Miami vs Orlando City lineups, team news
All season long, the availability of both Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez will be a constant discussion point. Messi struggled with muscle tweaks at the end of last season and in last month's preseason tour, so rest will be required at some point, but he is set for this home match. Suarez, meanwhile, has a persistent chronic knee problem which will also see him sat at various stages of the season.
Diego Gomez came off in the 84th minute of the last match and looked to be in pain, but Tata Martino said he was simply suffering from cramps. Benjamin Cremaschi is out through at least the end of April with a hernia, while Facundo Farias has been ruled out for the season with an ACL tear.
New signing Nicolas Freire gets his first start of the season after recovering from a knee injury he carried from before his winter transfer. Serhiy Kryvtsov has been the current starter alongside Tomas Aviles, but drops to the bench for the new man who was signed to replace Kamal Miller.
Inter Miami starting lineup (4-3-3): Callender (GK) — Yedlin, Freire, Aviles, Alba — Gressel, Busquets, D. Gomez — Messi, Suarez, Taylor.
Orlando City head coach Oscar Pareja rested a number of his regulars in the midweek CONCACAF Champions Cup win over Cavalry, and thus the likes of Facundo Torres and Duncan McGuire are set to go for this weekend's league match, while Nicolas Lodeiro surprisingly remains on the bench.
There are no injury concerns for Orlando City at the moment. Maguire remains the starting striker following his dramatic failed transfer to English club Blackburn Rovers, likely to make that move in the summer but for now remaining the key man ahead of new signing Luis Muriel who got the nod midweek.
Orlando City starting lineup (4-2-3-1): Gallese (GK) — Thorhallsson, Schlegel, Jansson, R. Santos — C. Araujo, Cartagena — F. Torres, Oieda, Angulo — McGuire.
Inter Miami vs Orlando City prediction, odds
- Moneyline lean: Orlando City (+340)
- Score prediction: Inter Miami 1-2 Orlando City
MLS clubs involved in early CONCACAF Champions Cup fixtures have struggled in league play to begin the year, but Orlando City are a potent attacking side that should do well to take advantage of the many cracks Inter Miami have shown so far.
Inter Miami looked a sloppy mess in both their first two matches so far, only saved in their opener by RSL's even deeper struggles and by a bogus late red card against the Galaxy last weekend. They have been extremely porous against pacey counter-attacks, of which Facundo Torres should lead plenty. Luis Suarez looks to be hampered by his knee issues, and Orlando City should finally put Inter Miami to the sword which both their previous opponents failed to do.
| DraftKings (USA) | |
| Inter Miami win | -160 |
| Draw | +300 |
| Orlando City win | +340 |
| Both teams to score Y/N | -155 / +120 |
| Over / Under 2.5 goals | -165 / +115 |
| Inter Miami -0.5 goals | -150 |
| Orlando City +0.5 goals | +120 |
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