Slump-ridden Inter Miami aim to break out vs. Union

Philadelphia Union leads the Supporter's Shield standings as it prepares to host Inter Miami, last year's Supporter's Shield winner, on Saturday night.

Inter Miami didn't just finish with the most points in MLS in 2024, it set the record for most points in a season.

But things have been quite different this season as Inter Miami (6-3-4, 22 points) enters this matchup in sixth place in the Eastern Conference and winners of only one of its past seven matches (1-5-1) across all competitions. The defeats include elimination from the CONCACAF Champions Cup after two lopsided losses to the Vancouver Whitecaps. Miami has allowed 20 goals over its past seven matches.

Although Miami has won the past four times it has played Philadelphia across all competitions, including a 2-1 victory in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on March 29, the pressure is on Miami to snap out of its current malaise quickly. The 3-0 setback against Orlando City this past Sunday was Miami's first shutout loss of the season and the first time it has dropped a match against its state rival with Lionel Messi on the field.

"(We need to) keep going. It's a complicated time," Messi told Apple TV after that match. "But we'll all stay united. We're a team in difficult times, because when everyone wins, it's easy, but now that difficult times are coming, that's when we have to be more united than ever, be a true team, and move forward, because we have what it takes."

The Union (9-3-2, 29 points) enter the match on a three-game winning streak and eight-game unbeaten streak across all competitions. Philadelphia is coming off a 4-1 win on Wednesday over the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, which propelled it into the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals. Led by Tai Baribo, the top scorer in MLS with 11 goals, the Union have the league's second-best goal differential (+13) and are tied for the second-most goals scored (27).

Philadelphia has a 5-1-2 in MLS home matches and that lone defeat was on March 16 against Nashville.

"When we play at Subaru Park, we control the game," Philadelphia coach Bradley Carnell said. "It's important to stay on the gas and prevent the opponent from controlling the game's pace."

--Field Level Media