DC United hopes to remain unbeaten in their MLS campaign when they take on Inter Miami at Audi Field on Saturday afternoon. Our soccer betting odds have the hosts favored to claim all three points.
DC United have lost only one of their seven all-time meetings with the Herons and will be confident in continuing that strong run. They’ll also be glad to return home after a pair of draws on the road. More importantly, they’ll look to welcome back star striker Christian Benteke, who missed those fixtures and is expected to return to the starting lineup.
Inter Miami will not have Lionel Messi's services, either. He scored in the first half of their CONCACAF Champions League tilt against Nashville on Wednesday, but came off after 50 minutes and is now at risk of missing the upcoming international window with Argentina. Inter Miami will hope to avoid losing a second-straight league tie.
Our DC United vs Inter Miami picks and predictions for Saturday, March 16 are backing one player in particular to find his name on the scoresheet and delight the home contingency.
DC United vs Inter Miami best odds
DC United vs Inter Miami picks and predictions
Last season, Christian Benteke showed he was one of the best forwards in Major League Soccer as he bagged 14 goals for DC United. He finished ninth in MLS in shots attempted per 90 minutes, and his 37 shots on target were sixth-most in the league.
In their season opener with the New England Revolution, he took advantage of the Revs having just 10 men for a large portion of the match as he secured a hat trick. He attempted six shots on the day, and it was his final shot in the 93rd minute that got him the milestone.
That goal came from a corner kick, an area where his 6-foot-3 frame comes in handy. He’s scored four goals from set pieces since the start of 2023, with DC United having 11 as a whole in that span. And with Inter Miami struggling to defend on set pieces, it’s one of the reasons we’re backing the Belgian forward to score.
Since Lionel Messi made his move to MLS, the Herons have been a different team with him in the lineup. But when he misses time, it affects them at both ends. They’re unable to pin teams in as successfully without his threat on the pitch, and they struggle to keep hold of the ball, putting their back line under pressure on the counter-attack.
That’s how Montreal was able to travel to Fort Lauderdale last weekend and secure a 3-2 victory with Messi out of the lineup. Their first two goals came off set pieces, and Miami were fortunate not to concede two others from corners.
Montreal should’ve had five goals in total on the day, missing three big chances, including a hilarious opportunity when Miami goalkeeper Drake Callendar misjudged a ball 30 yards from goal and somehow managed to deny a tally.
Miami’s opponents are averaging more than 15 shots per game in league play. Only four teams are allowing more. That’s great news for a DC United side that trails only Seattle in shots per match.
All signs point towards Benteke being involved from the opening whistle. He’s not listed at all on the DC United player availability report on the MLS website, which means he has no limitations. And head coach Troy Lesense made it clear he wants his big man out there. “When we have [Benteke], we want to use him,” he said on Thursday.
Benteke is a threat to score anytime he gets on the ball, and his aerial presence gives him an extra edge to find the back of the net. Only Minnesota United have taken more corner kicks this season than DCU, and I expect they’ll get a few opportunities on Saturday.
Whether from a set piece or from open play, expect Benteke to get chances and bury one. TonyBet has priced him at +135 to score anytime, one of the best prices on the market for the Belgian forward, and I’ll happily take those odds against an Inter Miami defense that will be in for a long day.
My best bet: Christian Benteke anytime goalscorer (+135 at TonyBet)
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DC United vs Inter Miami same-game parlay
Christian Benteke anytime goal
Luis Suarez to score or assist
Jordi Alba 1+ shots
Inter Miami won’t have Messi, but they’ll still have Luis Suarez. And with or without Messi, he’s been a problem for teams the past couple of weeks. He’s both scored and assisted in each of his last three starts across all competitions, with four goals and five assists over his first five starts for the Herons. He’ll be involved in a goal on Saturday.
Without Messi, I expect Jordi Alba to also be more involved in the attack. He was bombing forward last weekend while Messi and Suarez were rested, scoring a goal on his only shot of the match. He’s attempted a shot in all four of his starts so far in the league, and I anticipate more of the same here.
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DC United vs Inter Miami side and Over/Under analysis
Depending on when you placed your bets, you could have +200 or better on the 3-way money line on all possible results. Inter Miami opened as +115 favorites last weekend, but Messi's withdrawal on Wednesday night immediately sent bettors racing to bet on the hosts. This has sent Inter Miami’s price as high as +230.
On the flip side, DC United's odds quickly moved to even money on Thursday morning. This is after having been as high as +225 at open and +150 heading into Wednesday evening. The draw has stayed fairly consistent and is priced as high as +280.
Were DC United at full strength, I’d be fully backing them to win. But playmaker Ted Ku-DiPietro is listed as questionable, captain Steven Birnbaum is out, and so is goalkeeper Tyler Miller. I think DC United get a result, but I’ll wait until after kickoff to play a side. Inter Miami still possess plenty of firepower, and their press could cause some issues for the hosts.
What I do fully back is goals, and the public agrees. The Over 2.5 is priced around -165 to -175, with some books having moved to the Asian total of 3.0 goals. The public has moved the Over a bit away from the middle even after Messi’s status was determined.
This matchup has tended to produce goals, with the last four meetings all going Over 2.5 goals without a single clean sheet. That includes both meetings last year, neither of which involved Messi. DC United couldn’t keep a clean sheet at home against the Revs despite a man advantage, and I do not see them shutting out Inter Miami.
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DC United vs Inter Miami game info
| Location: | Audi Field, Washington, DC |
| Date: | Saturday, March 16, 2024 |
| Time: | 2:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | Apple TV |
| Weather: | 62F, 9 mph winds, 0% POP, 32% humidity |
DC United vs Inter Miami key injuries
DC United: Ted Ku-DiPietro M (Doubtful), Tyler Miller GK (Out), Steven Birnbaum D (Out).
Inter Miami: Lionel Messi F (Out), Franco Negri D (Out), Facundo Farias M (Out).
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