The host of the FIFA Club World Cup, Inter Miami, will face the Portuguese team F.C. Porto this Thursday, June 19th, in the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. This game is part of Matchday 2 of Group A, which also features Palmeiras and Al-Ahly. The team, led by Lionel Messi and coach Javier Mascherano, is seeking its first three points and aiming to secure a spot in the next round. Here is our BossAction prediction.
Decoding the Inter Miami vs. Porto F.C. Analysis
The recently founded club Inter Miami (2018), owned by David Beckham, earned a spot in the FIFA Club World Cup using the host slot, according to FIFA. Now they are disputing the also recently founded Club World Cup (or at least this new format), with thousands of followers hoping to go as far as they can. On the other hand, the centennial Portuguese club, F.C. Porto, founded in 1893 and winners of the UEFA Champions League in 2004, is looking to qualify as soon as possible. However, before they can do so, they must overcome Inter Miami to clear up doubts after their first goalless encounter against Palmeiras.
Inter Miami’s Recent Form & Results
Matchday 1 saw a tie between Inter Miami and the Egyptian team Al Ahly to open the Club World Cup. During this game, the Argentine goalkeeper Oscar Ustari saved one penalty kick for The Herons while Messi had a couple of chances to score. This draw was the only point achieved by an American team after the Seattle Sounders lost to Botafogo (2-1) and LAFC lost to Chelsea (2-0). Before this tournament, Inter Miami had registered two wins, two draws, and one loss in their last five games. Two victories against Montreal (4-2) and Columbus Crew (5-1), two draws against Philadelphia and San Jose Earthquakes (3-3 both), and a loss against Orlando (0-3). In the MLS after 16 games played, they stand in 6th position with 29 points.
Latest Results: Porto’s Form Guide
Porto F.C. is one of the most historic clubs in Portugal and the winner of several European Cups. For the Club World Cup, they secured a spot based on their UEFA Ranking and were seeded in Group A, where, on Matchday 1, they drew against the Brazilian team Palmeiras in a game that ended goalless. As of today, Porto finished third in the local league with 71 points and secured a spot in the next Europa League tournament. In their last five games (excluding the Palmeiras game), they won four games (one friendly and three league games) and lost one game (also a friendly).
Inter Miami vs. Porto F.C.: Head-to-Head Record
These two teams have never faced each other in history, which is understandable given the recent foundation of the Miami team. Now, Matchday 2 is key because the team that wins secures 4 points and could be just one step away from advancing to the next round. A tie would force both of them to win in the last Matchday.
Match Forecast: Inter Miami vs. Porto F.C. Final Score
Considering the history of the Porto F.C., the recent results, and the present odds, everything points to a victory for the Portuguese team. Nevertheless, the experience of Inter Miami players like Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba, Luis Suárez, and, of course, Lionel Messi could pose a challenge to Porto. Our final verdict: Porto 2-1 Inter Miami.
