Match kick-off delayed due to inclement weather in area
Inter Miami and Orlando City will duel for supremacy of Florida on Wednesday night at 8:00pm ET. The match will be played at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, the home of Inter Miami.
Both teams topped their Leagues Cup groups. Miami was perfect with two wins in two games and a +5 goal differential. Orlando edged out the Houston Dynamo on penalties in the first match before winning a thriller against Santos Laguna for the top spot in the group.
Inter Miami vs. Orlando City: Leagues Cup 2023, live updates and analysis from DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida:
Inter Miami‘s rivalry with Orlando City was formed before Inter even took the field in an official match. Orlando City had been the only MLS team in Florida for five seasons before Inter joined the cause in 2020. Bragging rights to claim being the best team in the state are now up for grabs every time they square off.
Inter’s first-ever MLS win came against Orlando, but the Central Florida squad has five wins to Inter’s three in the overall series. So far this MLS season, they have only faced each other once, with Orlando taking down Miami 3-1 in Inter’s home stadium.
But now, Inter can safely say they are a much different team than before, mainly because they have Lionel Messi on their side. The 2022 World Cup winner has scored three goals and dished out an additional assist through only 114 minutes of action with Miami.
His former Barcelona teammate Sergio Busquets has transformed the Inter midfield, and one of Messi’s favorite former teammates, Jordi Alba, should be making his debut for the club in this one.
Orlando, on the other hand, has lost just twice since May 9 and work very well together as a unit under experienced head coach Oscar Pareja.
