Inter Miami aims to secure their first Major League Soccer victory of the season as they face Houston Dynamo on Sunday. Despite a strong season last year with 74 points, Inter Miami began this season with a 2-2 draw against New York City FC on February 22nd. They achieved a 3-1 victory against Sporting Kansas City in a Concacaf Champions Cup game on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Houston Dynamo lost 2-1 to FC Dallas in their MLS season opener last weekend. Houston has won their last three encounters with Miami, including a 2-1 win in a U.S. Open Cup match on September 27, 2023. Notably, Lionel Messi will not be playing for Inter Miami in Sunday’s game as he did not travel with the team.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston. Houston is favored with money line odds at +130, while Inter Miami is at +185, and a draw is at +250, according to SportsLine consensus. The over/under for total goals is set at 2.5.
Jon ‘Buckets’ Eimer, a soccer expert from SportsLine, has analyzed this match. Eimer is known for his extensive knowledge of global soccer leagues and players. He was SportsLine’s top soccer expert in 2023, achieving a record of 248-234-12 (+25.93 units) in his SportsLine picks.
Eimer has closely examined the Inter Miami vs. Houston Dynamo game and has made his MLS picks.
- Houston Dynamo vs. Inter Miami over/under: 2.5 goals
- Houston Dynamo vs. Inter Miami money line: Houston Dynamo +130, Draw +250, Inter Miami +185
- HOU: The Dynamo had a plus-8 goal difference last season
- MIA: Inter Miami scored 79 goals in league matches in 2024
- Houston Dynamo vs. Inter Miami picks:
Why Inter Miami Could Win
Superstar Lionel Messi, who was instrumental in Inter Miami’s success last year, will be absent for Sunday’s game. The coach has decided to rest him due to a busy schedule. Last season, Messi topped the team with 21 goals and 17 assists in 22 league appearances. Since joining Inter Miami in the summer of 2023, he has scored 21 goals in 26 league games and a total of 36 goals in 42 appearances. His absence will be significant on Sunday night.
However, Inter Miami still possesses high-caliber players. Forward Luis Suarez is a key part of their attack. In 30 MLS games last year, he scored 21 goals and provided 10 assists. In Tuesday’s victory over Sporting KC, he scored a goal and assisted another. Suarez, 38, has had a distinguished career, playing for major clubs like Liverpool in the Premier League and Barcelona in La Liga. He has scored 515 goals in 840 career appearances.
Why Houston Dynamo Could Win
Midfielder Amine Bassi is a crucial player for the Dynamo’s offense. He has already scored one goal this season, following a successful 2024 season where he scored three goals and led the team with 10 assists in league play. Bassi, 27, started his professional career with Nancy II in France. In his debut season with the Dynamo in 2023, he scored eight league goals in 19 appearances.
Forward Ibrahim Aliyu also contributes significantly to Houston’s offense. He was Houston’s top scorer last season with six goals and six assists in 36 appearances. He took 65 shots, 27 of which were on target. In 58 career games for the Dynamo, he has scored nine goals. Aliyu, 23, previously scored 14 goals in 79 appearances for Lokomotiva Zagreb in Croatia’s HNL from 2020-21 to 2022-23.
Match Prediction
Expert Eimer has thoroughly analyzed this Major League Soccer match. He is predicting a high-scoring game and has identified three top bets for the Inter Miami vs. Houston Dynamo match, including two with plus-money payouts.
Who will win between Inter Miami and Houston Dynamo FC on Sunday?
Where to Bet on MLS Games
Here are some sportsbooks where you can bet on MLS games today.
