Dynamo go for glory against Inter Miami: What to watch for
(image via Billy Mears)
Tonight is the night. The Lamar Hunt US Open Cup final. It’s the Houston Dynamo against Inter Miami. One team will lift the trophy tonight and etch their names in US Soccer history. One team will be left with questions of what could have been. The Dynamo come into this match off a 2-1 loss in Kansas City on Saturday against SKC. Miami drew 1-1 with Orlando on Sunday night in their last match.
When: Wednesday, September 27 | 7:30 PM CT
Where: DRV PNK Stadium; Fort Lauderdale, Florida
TV/Stream: CBS Sports Network, Paramount+, Telemundo, Universo, Peacock
Radio: Futbol de Primera
Not just happy to be here
Making a final is a great achievement, especially for a club like the Dynamo who haven’t tasted any real success since they lifted this trophy in 2018. With that being said, you don’t get to a final and be satisfied just to get there. The Dynamo have traveled to Florida with one goal, winning it all. “What an opportunity we have in front of us,” head coach Ben Olsen said this week. “I’m not sure starting this year, if we’re sitting around being honest with each other, we thought we’d be in a final. But things have clicked a little quicker in some areas than we thought. We rode a little luck in this tournament, as I spoke about, which you always have to do in the (Lamar Hunt) U.S. Open Cup. The road to the U.S. Open Cup is always a wild one. Now it’s about not just being okay with making it to the final. Some unfinished business is ahead of us.” A trophy in year one would be huge, and not something many would have imagined in this season.
The world is watching
A cup final is a huge occasion any time you play in one. This particular final takes on an even bigger platform with Inter Miami on the other side. The stars will be out, both on the field and in the stands. The Dynamo know that but they won’t let it hinder them. More people will be watching, giving the Dynamo a chance to win over a ton of new fans. “It’s business as usual,” Olsen said. “The way we prepare for teams, that’s still the way we prepare for Miami because it’s something that we’re used to. To do anything different would not make a lot of sense and maybe not as authentic if we’re trying to reinvent the wheel. For the most part, it has worked for us this year. We’ll just keep going at it. Our players know what’s at stake. They know that there’s a lot more eyeballs on this game and that this is a chance for them to be champions. It’s rare that night where you get champagne in your eyes. I’m looking forward to watching them play.”
The Messi question
Will he, or won’t he? That is the big question surrounding superstar Lionel Messi. The Argentine has been nursing an injury and Inter Miami head coach Tata Martino has been non-committal on whether Messi will take the field tonight. Jordi Alba won’t feature tonight, and it seems very unlikely Messi will start. If any player could make an impact at less than full strength and in limited minutes, it would be Messi. If he’s on the bench, the Dynamo will know that Miami has that wild card just waiting to be played. If Houston can jump out to a lead, even a multi-goal lead, they could take that away. If Miami are in the game into the second half, the attention and pressure will build, knowing a bit of Messi magic could turn the game on its head.
Availability Report
Houston Dynamo – No report available
Inter Miami – No report available
Predicted Lineup
