Either the top MLS seed or the defending champion will be headed home earlier than anticipated as the Columbus Crew host Inter Miami in the Round of 16 at the 2024 Leagues Cup.
Inter Miami became famous after winning last year's competition, carried on the shoulders of new signing Lionel Messi. This time around, Messi has yet to play a single Leagues Cup minute due to an ankle injury, and while he's expected to return to training sometime this week, this match seems likely to come too soon for him to appear.
Therefore, his teammates will effort to engineer an upset over the Crew, who clobbered Sporting Kansas City 4-0 in their Round of 32 match. It was the first game of the competition for Columbus, who earned a bye to the knockout stage as a result of their league title last season.
Columbus sit third in the Eastern Conference standings, 10 points behind Inter Miami, but the absence of Messi and the rest for the Crew through the group stage has Columbus as the favorites for this match.
Columbus Crew vs. Inter Miami live stream, TV channel
- TV channel: None
- Streaming: MLS Season Pass from Apple TV
The Round of 16 match between Columbus Crew vs. Inter Miami was not selected for television broadcast, so it will be exclusively streamed on MLS Season Pass from Apple TV.
Apple TV did not make any matches for the Round of 16 free to air, and thus this match will be for MLS Season Pass subscribers only. Those wishing to subscribe to MLS Season Pass on Apple TV can do so at a discounted rate to reflect the season being halfway concluded.
MORE: Find out which Leagues Cup games are streaming free on MLS Season pass from Apple TV
What time is Columbus Crew vs. Inter Miami kickoff?
This Leagues Cup Round of 16 match kicks off from Lower.com Field on Tuesday, August 13 at 7:30 p.m. local time in Columbus, Ohio.
Here's how that time translates across the time zones in North America:
| Date | Kickoff time | |
| Eastern Time | Tue, Aug. 13 | 7:30 p.m. |
| Central Time | Tue, Aug. 13 | 6:30 p.m. |
| Mountain Time | Tue, Aug. 13 | 5:30 p.m. |
| Pacific Time | Tue, Aug. 13 | 4:30 p.m. |
Columbus Crew vs. Inter Miami lineups & team news
The defending MLS Cup champions are well rested thanks to their bye through the Leagues Cup group stage. Their only injury absence is that of backup goalkeeper Evan Bush who is sidelined due to a broken arm suffered while rehabbing from a previous injury.
Regular starter Patrick Schulte was on the bench for Columbus's Round of 32 match, having just returned from Olympic duty, and it's unclear whether Nicholas Hagen will remain in net as a "Cup goalkeeper" or if Schulte will return to action after some well-earned rest.
Columbus Crew projected starting lineup (3-4-3): Hagen (GK) — Moreira, Camacho, Amundsen — Farsi, Zawadzki, Nagbe, Arfsten — C. Ramirez, Cucho, Rossi.
While Lionel Messi seems close to returning to the pitch, it's unlikely to come in this match as he is not yet training with the rest of the Inter Miami squad, instead relegated to just individual side work.
Defender Hector Martinez will be suspended for this match due to his red card early in their Round of 32 victory, meaning either Serhiy Kryvtsov or Noah Allen will likely start in the club's paper-thin defense, depending largely on Kryvtsov's fitness. They are missing Facundo Farias and Nicolas Freire to ACL tears, although the former could return in the next month or two if his recovery progresses well.
Benjamin Cremaschi has only just returned from Olympic duty but may be fit enough to start if Tata Martino wishes to rotate his midfield.
Inter Miami projected starting lineup (4-3-3): Callender (GK) — Weigandt, Aviles, Kryvtsov, Alba — Cremaschi, Busquets, Redondo — Gressel, L. Suarez, Rojas.
Columbus Crew vs. Inter Miami prediction, betting odds & lines
- Score prediction: Columbus Crew 3-1 Inter Miami
Inter Miami are far better at home than on the road, and with so much squad upheaval due to injury and national team duty, Tata Martino has struggled for any kind of consistency this season.
The team in place has done incredibly well, but against the defending MLS Cup champions who have enjoyed significant rest of late, and without Lionel Messi, it will be too difficult for the Leagues Cup holders to progress further. The Herons remain a strong side, but this is a poor matchup for a defense that has been clobbered by injuries.
| BetMGM (USA) | |
| Columbus Crew win (90 mins) | -135 |
| Draw (90 mins) | +260 |
| Inter Miami win (90 mins) | +260 |
| Both teams to score | Y: -175 N: +125 |
| Over / Under 2.5 goals | O: -175 U: +120 |
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