Inter Miami CF heads to Canada for a crucial showdown against the Vancouver Whitecaps in the Concacaf Champions Cup semifinal — an all-MLS battle that promises high drama on Thursday night.
Miami enters the match riding a wave of momentum. After dropping the first leg 1-0 to LAFC in California, the Herons came storming back with a thrilling 3-1 win at home in the second leg at Chase Stadium to book their place in the semifinals.
Over the weekend, Inter Miami secured a gritty 1-0 win over Columbus Crew SC in MLS play, snapping back into form following consecutive draws with Chicago Fire and Toronto FC. Currently, Miami remains the only unbeaten team in Major League Soccer and sits third in the Eastern Conference — just a point behind Charlotte FC and FC Cincinnati, with a game in hand.
Vancouver, on the other hand, tops the MLS Supporters’ Shield standings with 20 points from nine games. However, they’re coming off a lackluster 0-0 draw with St. Louis City. Their quarterfinal triumph came in dramatic fashion, drawing 3-3 on aggregate with Pumas but advancing on away goals, thanks to a last-minute equalizer by Tristan Blackmon in Mexico City.
Inter Miami (4-3-3)
Goalkeeper: Óscar Ustari
Defenders: Marcelo Weigandt, Gonzalo Luján, Noah Allen, Jordi Alba
Midfield: Yannick Bright, Sergio Busquets, Benjamín Cremaschi
Attack: Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, Telasco Segovia
Vancouver Whitecaps (3-4-3)
Goalkeeper: Yohei Takaoka
Defenders: Belal Halbouni, Ranko Veselinovic, Tristan Blackmon
Midfield: Edier Ocampo, Andres Cubas, Sebastian Berhalter, Tate Johnson
Attack: Pedro Vite, Daniel Ríos, Ali Ahmed
With Messi and Suárez leading the line, Inter Miami’s firepower gives them an edge, but Vancouver’s home support and strong form make this a tightly contested matchup. Expect goals, intensity, and late drama.