Inter Miami go in search of a reprieve on Saturday, as they welcome FC Dallas to DRV PNK Stadium in the MLS (7.30pm ET). Can they bounce back after tasting defeat four games on the spin? Or will the visitors be the next team to upset Phil Neville’s men? This predictions’ post with full preview, and betting picks, plans to answer that.
Under the stewardship of Englishman Phil Neville, Inter Miami made a pleasing start to the 2023 Major League Soccer campaign. First time out, they got the better of CF Montreal in front of a home crowd, scoring twice and keeping a clean sheet in the process. They then followed up with another 2-0 win at home to last season’s MLS Cup finalist Philadelphia Union. At that point it looked as if they were very much moving in the right direction.
However, they have since shifted into reverse, losing four on the bounce. What is perhaps more alarming is the fact that they have scored in just one of those four defeats, failing to score on the road at Cincinnati last time out. Neville will be hoping that this return to home soil sparks a return to form from his men.
As for Saturday’s visitors, well the FC Dallas franchise have taken a much more measured approach to the start of the new campaign. They have not come flying out of the blocks only to go massively in the wrong direction. It has been slow and steady. They have won two, tied two and lost two, which is nothing to write home about of course, but it’s also nothing for FC Dallas fans to be too concerned about.
Since losing on the opening day, they have proven to be a tough nut to crack, losing only to the current MLS Cup holders LAFC, and even then, they were defeated by the narrowest of margins. Their recent win against Sporting Kansas City and their tie against the Portland Timbers suggests that they ought to be capable of getting competitive against a home team struggling for form.
Inter Miami solid at home
Fortunately for the hosts, DRV PNK Stadium is where they have been able to play their best soccer so far this season. It is not only where they have picked up their only wins of the campaign, but it is also where they have scored their only goals.
As far as goals go, Neville’s team has performed well at home, scoring multiple times in three out of three at home. However, they have given too much away at the other end, which is why the Chicago Fire were recently able to score three goals in Fort Lauderdale. Even though Inter kept clean sheets against both CF Montreal and the Philadelphia Union, they were fortunate. If anything, those shutouts were more down to luck than defensive stability. Saturday’s visitors, Dallas, have been scoring a few goals, so it is probably fair to say that the hosts will need to tighten up, even if they are useful offensively on their own patch.
FC Dallas visitors ticking along
As touched on in this preview above, the visitors haven’t turned many heads over the last few weeks, but they have been hanging in there. They have battled away in some tough games and picked up some respectable results. They are scoring game in, game out, which is never a bad thing.
Yes, defensively, they have not been brilliant, giving up at least one goal in all six fixtures this season, but they have only conceded more than once on one occasion, which is a positive, for sure. If we look at the Western Conference table, then we can see that less than half of the other teams have conceded fewer goals than FC Dallas, so their efforts in the defensive third have not been awful at all.
Hosts searching for a first win in this fixture
This will be the third time that the pair have crossed the east/west divide in Major League Soccer to play each other. Inter Miami remain without a win against FC Dallas, while Saturday’s visitors have won one of the previous two renewals of this fixture.
In 2020, it was the Dallas squad that won by two goals to one at home, though in July of 2022, they could not extend their 100% record, with the pair tying 1-1 at DRV PNK Stadium, courtesy of a late strike from Leonardo Campana for the home side.
Inter Miami vs FCD: How to bet this game?
The hosts have been in poor form, they have lost four on the bounce, including their last home game, where they simply weren’t good enough at the back. On that basis, a bet on the visitors isn’t easy to discourage, especially since they certainly seem more capable of battling it out than their hosts.
However, at the prices, the better option may be ‘Over 2.5 Goals’, which looks a little on the large side.
Inter Miami have shown that they can cut it offensively at home. They have got some solid attacking options, with the likes of Stefanelli and Jean, while Josef Martinez certainly bolsters their options again now that he is back from international duty.
The visitors have plenty of quality in the final third too. Jesus Ferreira, who has notched three times already this season, is up there with the very best of MLS forwards, while youngster Alan Velsaco is no slouch either. He offers lots from a wide forward area. The visitors have been scoring with regularity and they should trouble a Miami backline that looks relatively weak.
With Inter Miami scoring twice in each of their three home games so far, but really struggling defensively when conceding three against the Fire, they seem more likely than the early odds suggest to be involved in another high-scoring game here. The FC Dallas side doesn’t shy away from the goals either.
So, in a bid to beat the sportsbooks, our Inter Miami vs FC Dallas predictions and betting picks preview, settles on this tip:
Bradley Gibbs writes on MLS and other global soccer leagues for USA Betting. He also pens betting guides and strategy. Bradley has written for numerous sites and publications including Just Bookies and the Racing & Football Outlook.