Orlando City has a date with Lionel Messi and Inter Miami on Saturday, March 2nd. Chase Stadium will be the venue for the Florida clasico, and Óscar Pareja’s side wants to send a message to all of MLS.
Orlando City drew their first match of the season against CF Montreal but got two big victories in their opening Concacaf Champions Cup games against Cavalry FC of Canada (3-0 and 3-1). Orlando City looked fluid in their CCC games and integrated key players like Facundo Torres and Luis Muriel well in the series.
Nicolás Lodeiro, arriving from the Seattle Sounders, also scored his first goal for the club and adds championship experience to the side. Inter Miami on the other hand survived their game with the Los Angeles Galaxy, often being on the back pedal of the faster and younger Galaxy, it wasn’t until Lionel Messi’s late goal did the Pink and Black secure a draw.
Orlando City’s South American influence
Orlando City is influenced heavily by their South American players, none bigger than Uruguayan winger Facundo Torres, who has 23 goals and 11 assist in 64 matches for the club. Luis Muriel just arrived from Serie A and the Colombian is expected to be the key goal scorer of the team.
Uruguayan Nicolás Lodeiro will provide experience and a spark off the bench when need be in the midfield, but it’s youngsters César Araújo (Uruguay) and Ramiro Enrique (Argentina) that could be a major issue for a weak defending Inter Miami team in both defense and attack.
The club also has Peruvian goalkeeper Pedro Gallese, Argentine defender Rodrigo Schlegel, and winger Martín Ojeda (Arg). The ace in the hole for the Lions is American striker Duncan McGuire, who in only 1 season has 13 goals in 30 games and almost signed for Blackburn Rovers until the transfer fell apart in the last minute at the start of the year.
McGuire continues to have European interest and will be a handful for an Inter Miami defense that is mistake prone more often than not.
Inter Miami preview
Inter Miami will look to possibly debut Argentine midfielder Federico Redondo, Sergio Busquets admitted he is still battling injury and a lot of questions surround Luis Suarez who visibly has looked gassed in his first two MLS games.
Inter Miami predicted lineup vs Orlando City (4-3-3): Callender; Yedlin, Aviles, Kryvtsov, Alba; Gomez, Busquets, Gressel; Messi, Suarez, Taylor.
Orlando City predicted lineup vs Inter Miami (4-2-3-1): Gallese; Thorhallsson, Jansson, Schlegel, Santos; Araujo, Cartagena, Lodeiro; Torres, McGuire, Angulo.
