Inter Miami's bosses have tried hard to make the Herons about more than one player. Right now, that task is simply impossible. Lionel Messi is having a renaissance of form that can only be called breathtaking. Messi's 10th goal in five MLS matches led Miami to a statement win over Nashville SC on Saturday.
What will No. 10 do next? We'll find out when Inter Miami visits FC Cincinnati at 7:30 p.m. EST tonight. Cincinnati has been jockeying with Philadelphia for an Eastern Conference points lead, but the Orange and Blue is also coming off a sloppy two-goal loss to the Columbus Crew on Cincy's home grounds.
Las Vegas thinks tonight is when Inter Miami's momentum slows down. Miami is a 2-to-1 underdog to win its sixth league contest in a row. What does FC Cincinnati have that could prove an antidote to Messi?
Spread
- Inter Miami +0.25 (-118)
- FC Cincinnati -0.25 (-102)
Moneyline
- Inter Miami +185
- FC Cincinnati +125
- Draw +290
Total
- OVER 3.5 (-105)
- UNDER 3.5 (-115)
*The above data was collected on July 15, 2025, and may have changed since writing.
Inter Miami vs FC Cincinnati Betting Trends
- Inter Miami has won five consecutive league matches.
- Lionel Messi has scored two goals in five straight MLS appearances.
- Inter Miami is 6-2-1 across all competitions since May 24.
- Miami has not beaten Cincinnati in a road game since Sept. 2021.
Inter Miami vs FC Cincinnati Injury Reports
Inter Miami
- Goalkeeper Drake Callender is out with a sports hernia.
- Defender Ian Fray is out with an adductor injury.
- Defender Noah Allen is out with a hamstring strain.
- Midfielder Yannick Bright is questionable with a hamstring strain.
- Midfielder David Ruiz is questionable with a hamstring strain
- Defender Gonzalo Lujan is questionable with a hamstring strain.
- Forward Allen Obando is questionable with a hamstring strain.
FC Cincinnati
- Defender Nick Hagglund is out with a chest injury.
- Forward Yuya Kubo is out with an ankle injury.
- Midfielder Obinna Nwobodo is out with a quad injury.
- Forward Sergio Santos is questionable with a leg injury.
Inter Miami vs FC Cincinnati Predictions and Picks
Messi's crazy run of highlights has been derided as occurring against easy competition. It's easy to forget that Major League Soccer's supposedly bad teams frustrated Miami before it sharpened up in the FIFA Club World Cup, in which the Herons went 1-0-1 against UEFA Champions League sides. FC Cincinnati is very good in tight games, but Patrick Schulte's three-across back line was poor last round, giving tonight's underdogs a vulnerable target.
How much good did the Club World Cup do for Messi's supporting cast? "We played against the best teams in the world, from the best leagues in the world," midfielder Telasco Segovia told Jaime Uribarri from One Football. "I think that helped us a lot to focus and also see what we're made of." Segovia has played the attacking midfield position like a Bach cantata since Miami got back to its league schedule.
FC Cincinnati makes a weird moneyline favorite as a team that's averaging less goals-per-game than one striker from Inter Miami. But we know that Miami's bad habits on the back line make protecting a lead no small task. At cheaper than (-200) odds, Miami's "double chance" pick feels like the bargain of summer.
