Chicago Fire vs. Inter Miami Prediction, Preivew and Odds - 5/22/21
Inter Miami CF will be looking to move up the Eastern Conference table when it travels to Chicago on Saturday. Miami picked up a 3-2 road win at Cincinnati last Sunday for its second win of the season. The Fire have been abysmal in 2021, losing their last four matches after a season-opening draw.
Inter Miami spoils Cincinnati's opener for new stadium
Inter Miami CF coms into this match on the heels of a 3-2 win at Cincinnati, who was opening a new stadium. Miami had lost a 2-0 shutout in its previous match and had played to a draw in the two matches before that. Its other win this season came in a 2-1 road win at Philadelphia in April. Miami took a 2-0 lead last Sunday, but Cincinnati responded with a goal in the 59th minute and then scored with eight minutes remaining in regulation time to level the match. Gonzalo Higuain came up clutch, though, scoring the winner three minutes later.
He scored a pair of goals in the match and now has four overall this season. The first goal came off an assist from his younger brother, Federico. Higuain was named the MLS Player of the Week for his heroics. Center back Nicolas Figal and striker Robbie Robinson are both out with injuries. Center back Ian Fray is also sidelined with a cruciate ligament issue. Higuain now has half of the team’s eight goals this season. Lewis Morgan led the team in goals and assists last year—he had his first assist of the season on the cross that led to Higuain’s game-winner last week.
Chicago's struggles continue
Chicago is in shambles right now. It is listed at No. 26 in the latest MLS power rankings, putting it just one spot ahead of last-place Cincinnati. The Fire opened the season with a 2-2 draw against New England, but they have lost their four matches since then. Their three matches prior to last week all resulted in losses by multiple goals, with two of those being 2-0 setbacks. They played slightly better defensively last week, but still came up short in a 1-0 final against DC United. Chicago held a 58-42 possession advantage, but a goal seven minutes into the match was all it took for DC.
DC United came into that match after getting outscored 7-2 in its previous two matches. Chicago will need to patch up its back line if it wants to start improving this season. The Fire ended last season by going winless in their final six regular-season games, failing to qualify for the playoffs. They have now lost their last 11 regular-season contests dating back to last season. Chicago enters this match as the lowest-scoring team in the MLS with just three total goals. The Fire have not gone four matches without scoring since 2010. Their leading scorer from 2020, Robert Beric, has not scored in his last four matches. He has only put four out 15 shots on target.
Side: (Inter Miami +205)
Bettors are able to get better than 2/1 odds on the underdog in this match. Inter Miami is more than capable of winning this match on the road. In fact, I would almost argue that is should be favored. Chicago is in a massive slump that dates back to last season and is struggling on both ends of the pitch. The Fire have zero confidence and their best player is failing to get shots on target. Inter Miami has already notched a pair of road wins this season, so I am not concerned about this match being away from home.
Total: (Under 2.5)
The under is plus-money in this match, which is another profitable situation for bettors. The only way I see this game going over is if Chicago’s back-line has another atrocious day. If it does, Miami could win by multiple goals. Regardless, if bettors take the under at +125 and grab Miami at +204, they should be profiting. Miami has not been a high-scoring team this season and Chicago’s best chance is to come away with a low-scoring win. With the Fire failing to find the net in three straight matches, I think the under is the only way to go.