Raphael Durand
Dailysports's expert
The second round of the FIFA Club World Cup group stage will unfold on Thursday at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, where Inter Miami is set to face Porto. I’m tipping a bet on goals in this match, with an appealing odds offer.
Match preview
The American side disappointed once again in attack — a goalless draw against Al Ahly (0-0) proved that having superstars like Messi and Suárez doesn’t guarantee results against well-organized opponents. Mascherano’s men failed to spark any creativity in the final third, losing out to the Egyptians in all key metrics, including xG. This marks the fourth time in their last five international outings that Inter Miami has failed to win.
Defensively, though, the team has remained fairly organized: in just one of their last five matches did they concede more than once. Still, overall productivity is a real concern: across their last three CONCACAF Champions Cup and CWC fixtures, the club has managed to score just one goal. If the attack stalls again, the Americans will find it very tough to take points from a structured team like Porto.
The Portuguese giants also struggled to create chances in their clash with Palmeiras (0-0), managing just three shots on target. Yet, Anselmi’s squad once more displayed their hallmark defensive discipline. Over 15 matches in the UEFA Champions League and Club World Cup, Porto have only conceded more than once on two occasions — making them one of the tournament’s most reliable outfits at the back.
However, attacking woes persist. In their last three European and CWC matches, Porto have scored just a single goal, underlining a broader creative slump. Against a similarly low-scoring Inter, this game has all the makings of a tactical chess match with precious few scoring chances.
Probable lineups
- Inter Miami: Oscar Ustari – Tomás Avilés, Maximiliano Falcón, Ian Fray, Noah Allen – Federico Redondo, Sergio Busquets, Telasco Segovia – Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, Tadeo Allende
- Porto: Cláudio Ramos – Martim Fernandes, Iván Marcano, Zé Pedro – João Mário, Gabri Veiga, Fábio Vieira, Francisco Moura – Alan Varela, Samu Agehova, Rodrigo Mora de Carvalho
Match facts and head-to-head
- Inter Miami has scored more than one goal in only 1 of their last 5 international matches
- Porto are unbeaten in 5 of their last 7 UEFA Champions League and CWC games
- In 5 of Inter Miami’s last 7 matches and 4 of Porto’s last 5, there have been no more than two goals scored
Prediction
Both teams continue to showcase a cautious tactical approach, prioritizing solid defense and minimizing risks. Given their struggles in front of goal and how carefully they guard their own net, another low-scoring encounter is on the cards. Our recommended bet for this match: Under 3.0 total goals, with odds of 1.86.
