Inter Miami v Pumas UNAM preview
Inter Miami are in a robust place to complete within the prime 4 of their group and qualify for the knockout stage of the 2025 Leagues Cup – however with 11 groups inside three factors of the Herons as a part of the brand new competitors format, even a draw of their closing group stage match in opposition to Pumas UNAM might imply elimination.
Having gained 2-1 at house to Atlas of their opening sport, Miami rescued a 2-2 draw in opposition to guests Necaxa courtesy of Jordi Alba’s 92nd-minute equaliser on Saturday earlier than incomes a bonus level for a 5-4 victory on penalties.
Supervisor Javier Mascherano mentioned he felt “completely bitter” over Maxi Falcon’s Seventeenth-minute dismissal for a shirt pull and questioned why a Mexican referee had taken cost of a sport involving a staff from their nation.
“I’m not saying the decision was due to his nationality,” added Mascherano, who had beforehand used a press convention to publicly question why Miami are but to obtain a penalty on this season’s MLS when each different staff has been awarded not less than two spot kicks.
“However I discover it very unusual that they didn’t go to (a) VAR (Video Assistant Referee evaluate) for an expulsion that modified the sport.
“It will have taken 30 seconds, possibly one minute. If they will have a critical competitors, that should change.”
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Pumas have gained one and misplaced two of their first three Liga MX video games this season however have matched Miami’s tally of 5 factors within the Leagues Cup after successive house wins, following up a victory over Orlando Metropolis on penalties by beating Atlanta 3-2 on Saturday, when Adalberto Carrasquilla scored the winner along with his second objective of the competition within the 89th minute.
Former Vancouver Whitecaps and Mexico participant Efrain Juarez took over at his boyhood membership in March, having performed for them between 2008 and 2010 earlier than changing into the primary ever Mexican within the Scottish Premier League when he joined Celtic for £2 million.
“All of the objectives we’ve conceded have been from transitions or giving the ball away whereas making an attempt to assault in away video games,” mentioned Juarez, scrutinizing his staff’s defensive work.
“It appears to me that typically we’re taking too many dangers. My staff defends with the ball. My staff at all times transfer ahead, is intense and takes dangers.
“What are the dangers? When you lose the ball, (the opposition) are going to be close to our goalkeeper. I desire these dangers and circumstances to being behind (the ball) for 98 minutes and successful a transition.
“I don’t perceive soccer like that and I can’t do it. I wish to be aggressive and I wish to push ahead and take dangers.”
Inter Miami v Pumas UNAM staff information
Miami misplaced the participant they least wish to lose when captain and prime scorer Lionel Messi went to floor and acquired therapy throughout the first 10 minutes in opposition to Necaxa.
The icon, who arrange their objectives in opposition to Atlas, appeared to have suffered a hamstring subject, and Miami have since issued an replace describing the issue as a minor right-leg muscle harm, with the period of time Messi is out for relying on his response to therapy.
Mascherano has acquired higher information over Falcon, who is on the market after the defender’s dismissal was overturned on attraction.
Argentina midfielder Rodrigo De Paul, who has signed initially on mortgage from Atletico Madrid, performed all through, whereas Noah Allen began in central protection on the versatile Greece youth worldwide’s return from a hamstring harm.
Ecuador prospect Allen Obando and goalkeeper Oscar Ustari missed out on account of hamstring points, however Racing Membership de Avellaneda loanee Baltasar Rodriguez has returned from the identical drawback.
Defender Ian Fray was again on the bench following an harm sustained throughout the Membership World Cup, however Drake Callender suffered a setback in coaching final week because the goalkeeper returns from hernia surgical procedure.
Pumas will probably be with out Keylor Navas after the three-time Champions League winner was despatched off as a part of an eventful night for the goalkeeper in opposition to Atlanta.
Navas scored a Thirty fifth-minute personal objective to deliver Atlanta degree and was dismissed for a problem exterior of his field within the ninety fifth minute in a choice that left Juarez unimpressed with the officiating.
Jaurez accepted that he will probably be with out “the most effective goalkeepers within the historical past of South America” and now has to decide on between untested Below-21 participant Miguel Paul and 17-year-old Rodrigo Parra, who made errors for 2 objectives in a 3-0 defeat at Santos Laguna final month in his solely look to this point for the membership.
Former Paris Saint-Germain and Actual Madrid favourite Navas joined Pumas from Argentinian aspect Newell’s Outdated Boys for a reported $2 million in July, with the 38-year-old saying he had turned down presents from international locations together with Saudi Arabia so as to be nearer house.
In assault, Jaurez expects to be with out Santiago Lopez for not less than a month as a result of the 20-year-old has a damaged finger.
Juarez has sometimes used a again 5 however didn’t verify whether or not he’ll repeat the trick at Chase Stadum.
Inter Miami v Pumas UNAM anticipated line-ups
Inter Miami Beginning XI: New; Weigandt, Lujan, Falcon, Alba; Spherical, from Paul, Busquets, Segovia; ALLENDE, Suarez
Pumas Beginning XI: Parra; Bennevendo, Duarte, Nathan, Angulo; Caicedo, Carrasquilla; Lopez, Vite, Ruvalcaba; Martinez
Methods to watch Inter Miami v Pumas UNAM: Reside stream, TV channel
Kick-off on Wednesday is at 19:30 ET (16:30 PT on Wednesday/ 00:30 on Thursday BST), with reside protection obtainable by way of the MLS Season Go on Apple TV+.
Within the US, a subscription prices $14.99 a month or $69 a season. Current Apple TV+ subscribers pay $12.99 monthly or $59 a season.
Inter Miami v Pumas UNAM stats
After Matchday 3, MLS golf equipment and Liga MX sides had every gained 19 matches on this season’s competitors.
There was but to be a 0-0 draw by that time, with each groups scoring in 31 of the video games.
Miami have gained 4 and misplaced one in all their 5 video games in opposition to Mexican groups within the Leagues Cuptogether with each of their house video games in opposition to opposition from the nation within the competitors.
Messi has 24 objectives and 10 assists in 31 appearances in all competitions this season.
The Herons are unbeaten in 5 house video games, successful six of their final eight.
They’ve gained three of their six video games when Messi has been absent this season and two of their final 5 over 90 minutes with out the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, together with 2024/25.
Carrasquilla has scored three of Pumas’ 4 objectives on this season’s competitors, with solely Tigres UNAL’s Angel Correa – on 4 – bettering the Panama midfielder’s whole.
Pumas conceded two fewer objectives than every other staff throughout the common part of final season’s Torneo Apertura, solely to lose the second leg of their quarter-final 5-3 to Monterrey following a 1-0 first-leg defeat.
Los Pumas misplaced two of their three video games in opposition to MLS opponents within the 2024 Leagues Cup, succumbing 3-2 at house to Austin earlier than defeating the Vancouver Whitecaps 2-0 at house and being overwhelmed 4-0 on the Seattle Sounders.
That they had been unbeaten in three such video games earlier than then, beating New York on penalties within the 2021 quarter-finals and drawing 2-2 at Montreal and successful 3-0 at house to DC United within the 2023 competitors.
Inter Miami v Pumas UNAM prediction
Miami have been spirited slightly than convincing throughout Messi’s absence for nearly all of two of their final three video games, incomes a 0-0 draw in opposition to MLS high-flyers Cincinnati and edging previous Necaxa.
Telasco Segova is their prime scorer within the Leagues Cup with two objectives – Messi is but to attain – whereas Uruguay all-time prime scorer Luis Suarez is on a run of 1 help in seven matches in all competitions.
The involvement of the likes of Suarez, De Paul and Alba means Miami have the potential to plunder the victory they’re prone to require to advance, however they must enhance upon their show in opposition to Necaxa, who had 55% of possession and compelled Rocco Rios Novo to make 5 of the seven saves within the sport.
With that in thoughts, count on a 2-2 draw that won’t fulfill both sides’ ambitions of reaching the knockout stage.
