NY City Vs Inter Miami

Inter Miami has the opportunity to move closer to securing the Supporters' Shield when they travel to Yankee Stadium this Saturday to face New York City FC. Despite a recent 2-2 draw against Atlanta United, the Herons maintain the best record in Major League Soccer (MLS). Meanwhile, New York City FC, coming off a heavy 5-1 loss to the Philadelphia Union, sits in sixth place in the Eastern Conference standings.

Match Preview

New York City FC's striker Alonso Martinez celebrates a goal during a match on May 15, 2024.

With just five matches left in the regular season, New York City is in a strong position to reach the postseason for the first time since 2022. They currently hold a seven-point cushion above the playoff line in the Eastern Conference. However, their recent domestic performance raises doubts about their playoff readiness, as the Pigeons enter this weekend with an eight-match winless streak in MLS, including their most significant domestic defeat under coach Nick Cushing earlier this week.

A victory this weekend would mark New York City's ninth home win of the league season, surpassing last year's total of eight. Up to this point in the MLS campaign, the Boys in Blue have allowed 19 goals on home turf, with 15 of those occurring at Yankee Stadium.

Historically, NYCFC has had the upper hand against Inter Miami at home, winning all four encounters—both in regular season and playoff contexts—without conceding a single goal. In their two matches at Yankee Stadium, NYCFC has outscored Miami 3-0.

On the other hand, Inter Miami recently faced an unexpected setback, failing to secure a win for the first time in over two months. They squandered a 2-1 lead against Atlanta, leaving them with an eight-point lead at the top of the Eastern Conference. To ensure home-field advantage in the playoffs, Miami needs to accumulate at least seven points from their final five league matches.

In addition to securing home-field advantage, Inter Miami is also in pursuit of their first-ever Supporters' Shield title, currently holding an eight-point lead over both the Los Angeles Galaxy and FC Cincinnati for the best overall record in the league.

Coach Tata Martino is set to return to the sidelines this weekend after serving a suspension due to yellow card accumulation. He aims to achieve his 20th victory of the domestic season, which would exceed the club's highest-ever total in MLS from 2022 by six wins.