Out-of-form Inter Miami travel to Philadelphia Union in Saturday’s MLS gameweek 15 clash, seeking to end their ongoing three-match winless league run at Subaru Park.
The Union are unbeaten in eight matches in all competitions heading into this weekend’s game against an opponent whose rearguard has let them down during their miserable run of one win in seven across top-flight and continental fixtures.
Match preview
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After last year’s failure to qualify for the MLS Cup Playoffs, the Union have been beneficiaries of a managerial change with Bradley Carnell replacing Jim Curtin in January.
The South African manager has guided the Union to the top of the Eastern Conference standings and overall MLS table after 14 games on 29 points, though the Vancouver Whitecaps, on 28 points, have an outstanding game.
A winning start saw the U claim three consecutive MLS victories, but that was then followed by a run of one victory in five fixtures, including three losses with one setback coming against this weekend’s opponents in Miami.
Since the third loss during that run at New York City, Carnell’s team have won seven of eight matches across all competitions, only drawing against the Columbus Crew on May 11.
Fresh off securing a place in the last eight of the US Open Cup with a 4-1 thrashing of the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, the Union bid to extend their undefeated MLS streak to seven, improving a sequence of five wins and one draw to hold on to top spot in their section with FC Cincinnati also on 29 points.
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Aiming to prevent that outcome are Inter Miami, who sit seven points behind this weekend’s hosts, albeit having played one fewer game.
The form of Javier Mascherano‘s men has fallen off a cliff after a bright start to life under the Argentine manager, which produced seven wins and one draw across all competitions to start the season.
Losing to Los Angeles FC in the quarter-final first leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup was a bump in the road as a four-match unbeaten sequence followed; however, the Miami-based club have since lost five of their next seven across continental games and MLS fixtures, including two of the last three in the league either side of a thrilling 3-3 draw with the San Jose Earthquakes.
Striking during the Herons’ form has been the Florida outfit’s soft underbelly at the back, evidenced in the concession of three goals or more in five of their last six in all competitions, falling to a 3-1 defeat against the Vancouver Whitecaps in the Champions Cup, conceding four in losses to Dallas (4-3) and Minnesota United (4-1) and three in a draw with San Jose and recent 3-0 setback on home soil at the hands of Orlando City.
Mascherano appears to have few solutions to address the Herons’ plummet in performances and results as last season’s Supporters Shield winners aim to avoid going four games unbeaten in MLS since 2023, when they went six contests without success from September to October of said year.
With Charlotte FC and the Chicago Fire, both clubs in eighth and ninth, two points behind Inter Miami in the Eastern Conference, the Florida-based outfit could slip out of the coveted seven places if they fall to a fourth defeat and results elsewhere go against them — Charlotte host the Columbus Crew and the Fire travel to New York City FC.
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Team News
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While Andre Blake‘s knee injury will be assessed by the Union before Saturday’s contest, Ian Glavinovich and Neil Pierre are expected to miss out this weekend due to similar injuries.
Tai Baribo is the leading goalscorer in Major League Soccer heading into this weekend, and the forward, whose four match-winning goals surpass everyone except Cincinnati’s Kevin Denkey (five), aims to inflict more misery on the Herons.
Mascherano’s men are not expected to have David Ruiz (hernia), Drake Callender and Baltasar Rodriguez (both are hamstrung) available for selection in gameweek 15.
Lionel Messi has neither scored nor assisted in back-to-back games for Inter Miami, a run the 2022 World Cup winner seeks to snap to improve on his seven goal involvements against the Eastern Conference leaders.
Philadelphia Union possible starting lineup:
Rick; Westfield, Glesnes, Makhanya, Wagner; Vassilev, Jacques, Lukic, Sullivan; Baribo, Uhre
Inter Miami possible starting lineup:
Ustari; Fray, Lujan, Falcon, Allen; Bright, Busquets; Allende, Messi, Alba; Suarez
We say: Philadelphia Union 2-1 Inter Miami
Until the form table turns, it would be ill-advised to opt for Inter Miami against most MLS sides right now, not to mention the free-scoring Philadelphia.
While the Herons are unlikely to fire blanks in consecutive fixtures, the in-form Eastern Conference leaders should exploit the away side’s defensive vulnerability to secure their 10th league victory of 2025.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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