Inter Miami CF (9-7-18 Last Season) vs. Real Salt Lake (14-8-12 Last Season)
As MLS Season kicks into gear, an intriguing matchup awaits Inter Miami CF and Real Salt Lake on Wednesday. Last season demonstrated Inter Miami CF’s struggles to find consistency while Real Salt Lake displayed more balanced play; fans and top sportsbooks alike are eager to witness how these disparate teams perform against one another during this early encounter of this new campaign.
Inter Miami will look to striker Leonardo Campana to lead the attack after he scored 9 goals in just 17 starts last season. His scoring prowess will test a Real Salt Lake defense that has remained largely the same from their last season campaign. In midfield, Robert Taylor provides both scoring punch and creative playmaking for Inter Miami, after tallying 4 goals and 7 assists last season. His two-way ability could exploit Real Salt Lake, especially on the counterattack.
Real Salt Lake will lean on midfielder Diego Luna, who was second on the team last year with 5 goals scored. His 43% shooting accuracy and constant threat moving forward gives RSL a consistent offensive weapon they’ll need to rely on. Cristian Arango is coming off a breakout year for Real Salt Lake, having scored 6 goals last campaign. He’ll look to build on that performance, but will have to get by an Inter Miami defense that allowed the fourth-fewest goals in the Eastern Conference last season. Goalkeeper Drake Callender was a big part of that, playing every minute while making 123 saves, and he’ll need to be sharp against RSL’s speedy attackers.
Inter Miami CF vs. Real Salt Lake Game Info
| When: | Wednesday, February 21, 2024, at 8:00 PM ET |
| Where: | DRV PNK Stadium |
| TV: | ATV |
| Stream: | TBA |
Drake Callender GK vs. Zac MacMath GK
Drake Callender is coming off a solid 2022 campaign in which he started every match for Inter Miami. While his 50 goals allowed seems high, it can be attributed in part to facing the second-most shots in MLS (526) last season. His 123 saves actually ranked top five in the league, illustrating Callender’s shot-stopping abilities. He will need to be on his game against Real Salt Lake’s attack.
On the opposite end, Zac MacMath takes over the starting role for RSL this season after serving as the primary backup in 2022. He brings veteran experience between the posts, as evidenced by his solid goals against average of 1.32 over the past two campaigns. MacMath produced nine clean sheets in his 28 starts last season for a save percentage of 71%, stats that will need to hold up against Inter Miami’s talented striker pairing.
Soccer Odds/Point Spread: Inter Miami CF +114, Total Odds: 2.75
Inter Miami enters as narrow underdogs per the latest MLS odds, largely due to playing on the road at one of the toughest venues in Rio Tinto Stadium. The total remains low at 2.5 goals, indicating the expectation that this turns into a defensive battle.
Inter Miami CF Betting Trends
Inter Miami won four of its 10 games as a favorite last season but was an impressive 6-1-2 when an underdog. This bodes well for stealing points against RSL. Over 2.5 goals were hit in 12 of Inter Miami’s games last season. The total going over again on Wednesday would not be surprising given the attacking talent on both rosters.
Real Salt Lake Betting Trends
Real Salt Lake’s as underdogs last season, posting a 5-6 record straight up and 4-7 ATS. As home dogs in this spot, Salt Lake could break those negative betting trends. Fourteen of RSL’s games finished with more than 3.5 total goals last campaign. The over on the low total remains a strong play Wednesday night.
Inter Miami CF vs. Real Salt Lake 2/21/24 Betting Picks
This matchup is as close to a coin flip as you can get early in the MLS season. Inter Miami boasts more overall roster talent, but RSL’s home-field advantage at their fortress in Utah cannot be discounted. The game ultimately could come down to which goalkeeper makes the fewest mistakes.
From a betting perspective, Inter Miami catching plus-money makes them the more attractive wager. Their goal scoring ability gives them a chance to win outright, while the underdog price offers security if they come up just short. Anyone making MLS betting picks should ride with the visitors, though the total clearing 2.5 goals also looks probable.
