Match Preview: New York City FC at Inter Miami
After an embarrassing first-round loss to 9th-seeded Atlanta United in last year’s playoffs, the Herons begin their quest for the MLS Cup tonight against NYCFC at home.
Costa Rican striker Alonso Martinez led New York City FC with 16 goals in 2024. The Pigeons and Herons will open the new MLS season at 7:30 p.m. EST tonight at Chase Stadium/Photo by Hudson City Blues.
The National Weather Service is predicting a temperature of 69 Fahrenheit when New York City FC and Club International Futbol Miami kickoff their Major League Soccer seasons at 7:30 p.m. tonight in Fort Lauderdale.
That’s about 70 degrees warmer than when the Herons walked off the frozen pitch in Kansas City, Kan., Wednesday after beating Sporting KC 1-0 in the first leg of the teams’ first-round Concacaf Champions Cup matchup. The match was scheduled to be played Tuesday, but was postponed 24 hours because of a severe winter storm that brought snow and windchill temperatures well below 0 degrees Fahrenheit.
The rigorous conditions and quick turnaround after that match could be the most impactful factor in what NYCFC fan site Hudson River Blues cleverly calls the “Gender Reveal Derby” because of the clubs’ kit colors.
First-year Miami coach Javier Mascherano was coy when asked about lineup changes Friday, according to a report by the Miami Herald’s Michele Kaufman:
“We are recuperating….Everyone saw the conditions under which we played. That requires us to wait a little longer to see how the players recover as this is an unprecedented situation for all of us.”
Javier Mascherano, Inter Miami coach
Global icon and Herons’ captain Lionel Messi played all 93 minutes and scored the only goal of Wednesday’s match; as the world’s most popular player, it’s hard to imagine he won’t start Miami’s 2025 home opener. The same is true for midfield maestro Sergio Busquets, who also went the distance at frigid Children’s Mercy Park, and striker Luis Suarez, who came out in the 89th minute.
But those three could see limited minutes after playing more than expected in the Herons’ preseason and considering Inter Miami hosts Sporting KC in the second leg of the Champions Cup tie Tuesday.
Left wing back Jordon Alba, the fourth member (along with Messi, Busquets and Suarez) of Inter Miami’s “Big Four” — all of whom, along with former center back Mascherano, were teammates on some of the Blaugrana’s great sides in the 20-teens — also is expected to start and play major minutes despite a minor leg injury. Alba was suspended for the Kansas City match because of a red card received in the Herons’ loss to Monterey in last year’s Champions Cup.
The Pink & Black, despite earning an MLS season-record 74 points and the Supporters’ Shield, consider 2024 a disappointment. They’ve improved their team depth at every position except striker, where 38-year-old Suarez can’t be expected to play every minute of a season in which the Herons will compete for three trophies outside MLS (the FIFA Club World Cup, Concacaf Champions Cup, and MLS/Liga MX Leagues Cup) and are many pundits’ pick to raise the MLS Cup in December.
The Pigeons finished sixth in the Eastern Conference a year ago and lost to crosstown rival (and eventual MLS Cup runners-up to L.A. Galaxy) New York Red Bulls.
NYCFC is a team in transition, with new coach Pascal Jansen replacing Nick Cushing in the Bronx. The visitors also are without star Santiago “Santi” Rodriguez, who had 19 goal contributions a year ago. The Uruguayan midfielder reportedly is in limbo as New York City and Brazilian side Botafogo negotiate his transfer to South America.
The Blue also are without defensive starters Thiago Martins (center back) and Tayvon Gray (right-back), both of whom are recovering from leg injuries.
Costa Rican striker Alfonso Martinez, the Pigeons’ leading scorer last year, will lead the attack.
Opening matches are notoriously difficult to predict; we still don’t know what we don’t know. But I think Inter Miami has enough firepower, even without Messi and Suarez, to earn its second-ever win against NYCFC (the teams have met 12 times, with New York winning eight times and three matches — including two in 2024 — ending in draws.
My prediction? Inter Miami 3, New York 1.