Match Preview: Minnesota United to Host Messi, Inter Miami at Allianz Field

While Minnesota has played host to a few soccer legends in its history (Pele in 1976, Beckham in 2007, Zlatan in 2018), none spurred quite the party that will welcome the GOAT, Lionel Messi, to Allianz Field on Saturday, May 10.

The cross-conference clash between Minnesota United FC and Inter Miami CF has been circled and highlighted on supporters’ calendars since the schedule dropped months ago. The match is sold out with tickets listed for resale at $230 minimum (that is the asking price for a Supporters ticket with a face value of $35) and, in addition to a Lawn Layover concert featuring the bands Soul Asylum and Porch Light, the match will be shown on a large screen to an overflow crowd on the great lawn.

Amidst the hype, two big questions loom: 1. Will Messi play?, and 2. Can Minnesota snatch three points from the highest paid club in league history?

Inter Miami sits at fourth in the Eastern Conference with 21 points (and a game in hand), only three points behind first place Columbus. They boast a 6-1-3 record (3-0-1 on the road) but were knocked out of the Champions Cup semifinals stage in frustrating fashion by the Vancouver Whitecaps just last week. Messi leads the squad with 4 goals and 2 assists in league play, while Luis Suarez leads in assists with 6 (and 2 goals). Messi traveled with the squad and is expected to feature but, per Andy Greder of the Pioneer Press, Suarez is doubtful (while not completely ruled out on the official report).

Minnesota United boasts a 5-2-4 record overall (2-1-2 at home), placing them second in the West with 19 points — 7 points behind powerhouse Vancouver. Only four points separate second and ninth in the Western Conference so the Loons cannot afford to get comfortable at the top. The Loons’ own Argentine, Joaquín Pereyra, is hitting his stride at just the right moment. The midfielder was named to the Matchday 11 Team of the Matchday after forcing Austin’s early own goal and then scoring one of his own in stoppage time.

Kelvin Yeboah is expected to play on Saturday following an ankle injury suffered at home against Vancouver last month. Yeboah has 4 goals and 1 assist, second to Tani Oluwaseyi who has 5 goals and 3 assists. Saturday’s match could be the first in which Yeboah plays with Julian Gressel, whose 26 minute shift to close out the win against Austin FC impressed fans. Gressel was also a veteran presence in Minnesota’s US Open Cup performance on Wednesday but supporters can expect Saturday’s matchup against his former club to be a marquee event – especially with Messi set to play.

News & Notes

With a player like Lionel Messi in town, soccer fans in any city could be tempted to show up to their local club’s supporters section in the GOAT’s gear. The MN Wonderwall is no different. Fans with tickets for Allianz Field’s Wonderwall, at the south end of the pitch, will not be allowed to enter the section wearing Inter Miami CF gear or colors. Fans wearing shirts from Messi’s Argentina National Team and his former clubs (Barcelona, PSG) will not be stopped, with the exception of those who want to stand in the lower half of sections 21, 22, and 23 – These rows will be Black-and-Blue only.

[Not sure what to wear? The Black-and-Blue store made you a shirt.]

A team of Twosies joined Gressel, Sang Bin Jeong, Morris Duggan, and DJ Taylor, for a US Open Cup victory against USL Championship side Louisville City FC on Wednesday night. Despite spending the entirety of the first half on defense, Minnesota found the lone goal of the night in the 65th minute. With this finish, Darius Randell became the youngest player ever to score in a MNUFC first team debut. The Loons will host St Louis CITY SC in the Round of 16 on May 21, just days after hosting CITY in league play on Saturday, May 17.

Availability

MIN | Out: Hassani Dotson (knee), Owen Gene (ankle), Kipp Keller (leg) ; Questionable: None

MIA | Out: Drake Callender (sports hernia), David Ruis (Hamstring); Questionable: Allen Obanda (hamstring), Baltasar Rodriguez (hamstring)

Staff Predictions

Seth Steffenhagen: 2-1 Loons

Ashle Paige: 2-2 draw with a late Miami heart-breaker goal

MJ: 3-1 Messiami

Michael Lake: ¨Plead the Fifth?” OR 2-1 Loons

Tim McLaughlin: 1-0 Miami

Bridget McDowell: 3-2 Loons with a Pereyra golazo