Among the teams in the best form in MLS at the moment is Leo Messi’s Inter Miami, fresh from five consecutive league wins. Participation in the Club World Cup does not seem to have “distracted” the Herons, who have returned even hungrier from the international tournament. Since returning to league action, Javier Mascherano’s men have won three games, the last of which was against direct Eastern Conference rivals Nashville. The common denominator in these victories, needless to say, is the legendary Argentine playmaker, who since last weekend has been the tournament’s top scorer with 16 goals alongside Sam Surridge.
Messi has scored twice in each of Inter Miami’s last five wins. These are impressive statistics when you consider that he has just turned 38 and was coming off a long injury. Mascherano will once again look to him to break down the Cincinnati defense in another direct clash that will see the Herons take center stage in the midweek round of the North American top flight. Messi could have a field day against a back line that, just like Inter Miami’s, has conceded a lot of goals (31). The same goes for the Herons, prolific in attack and too porous at the back: Cincinnati’s strikers Evander and Kevin Denkey should therefore manage to score at least one goal, but our tip this time is on the Togolese center forward, who has scored 12 goals in 22 games.
MLS goal scorers predictions, Dreyer could make his mark again
Nashville will be involved in an exciting head-to-head clash with Columbus: B.J. Callaghan’s men are looking to turn the page after their defeat in Miami and are counting on their home advantage as usual. They have only lost once in front of their own fans and should be able to get a result against the Crew, who arrive in Tennessee on the back of a comeback victory against Cincinnati.
After failing to score against Messi and company, former Bournemouth striker Sam Sturridge is ready to strike again, having just been joined at the top of the scoring charts by La Pulga.
Finally, Danish striker Anders Dreyer, the spearhead of San Diego, currently at the top of the Western Conference, could score for the second time in a row. The former Midtjylland player was instrumental in Saturday’s away win against Chicago Fire, scoring twice, and there is a good chance he will find the net again against the not-so-irresistible Toronto FC.