This week, Inter Miami recorded their fourth consecutive league win, beating New England away in one of many catch-up games that will see the Florida club in action over the coming weeks. The star of the show in Boston was, as usual, Leo Messi.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner is in particularly inspired form and scored his fourth consecutive brace in MLS against the Revs. His recent adventure at the Club World Cup, which ended in the round of 16 against PSG, seems to have reinvigorated him: against New England, he put in another stunning performance, just a few days after his show in Montreal, where he scored a crazy goal after dribbling past practically the entire Canadian defense. With his two goals on Wednesday, Messi has now scored 14 goals and is second in the scoring charts behind Nashville’s English striker Surridge. The numbers speak for themselves: Nashville has not lost since last April and is coming off five consecutive wins, including one in the US Open Cup against DC United. So, it’s not just a direct clash, but also a challenge within a challenge between the two most prolific strikers in the tournament. It’s impossible not to go for Messi, who will in all likelihood punish the Eastern Conference’s least beaten defense.
MLS goal scorer predictions: Serbian Joveljic is a sure bet
In the Western Conference, Sporting Kansas City, currently eleventh, is trying to get back into the playoff zone and is looking for valuable points in its home match against the Seattle Sounders, fifth in the West.
The Wizards will once again rely on 25-year-old Serbian striker Dejan Joveljic, who has scored 12 goals so far. The player, who grew up in Serbia with Red Star Belgrade and has also played for Eintracht Frankfurt, Anderlecht, and Wolfsberger in Europe, has only failed to score twice since mid-May, and we believe he can find the net against the Sounders, who are not impenetrable at the back and concede a few too many goals.
The third and final name we recommend as a possible scorer tonight is Uruguayan Diego Rossi, a real linchpin in the Columbus attack. The former Fenerbahçe player also found the net a week ago in Seattle, bringing his tally to 10 goals (with 3 assists). In the delicate head-to-head clash with Cincinnati, he should make the difference and be one of the most dangerous players, as usual.