Inter Miami boasts an impressive lineup, headlined by none other than Lionel Messi, a player widely regarded as the best in the world. Alongside him are former FC Barcelona stalwarts such as Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets, and Luis Suarez. Tadeo Allende adds to this formidable team, riding a wave of exceptional form with seven goals in the postseason, just one short of setting a new MLS Cup Playoff record. Adding to their advantages, Miami enjoys the support of their home crowd, having earned the right to host the championship match by finishing two points ahead of the Vancouver Whitecaps in the Supporters’ Shield rankings.

Yet, as Inter Miami prepares for Saturday’s MLS Cup final, they face a critical challenge—a race against time.

The dynamics of the upcoming match suggest that the longer the score remains tied, the more the momentum could tilt in favor of the visiting team from Canada. This is a fact well understood by both the Whitecaps and the Herons, and likely by the fans watching as well. Expect Messi and his Miami teammates to push aggressively from the start, seeking an early lead to knock Vancouver off balance and force them into a defensive posture.

While Miami’s squad has become more well-rounded following the summer additions of Rodrigo de Paul and Mateo Silvetti, head coach Javier Mascherano is surely mindful of past vulnerabilities. Earlier in the year, during the Concacaf Champions Cup semifinals, Miami’s aging defense struggled significantly in the latter stages of their encounters against the Whitecaps.

Battle of the Benches?

In those matches, the scorelines tell the tale:

2025 Concacaf Champions Cup Semifinal goals by minute

(Across two matches)

1’ to 30’: Vancouver 1, Miami 1
31’ to 60’: Vancouver 2, Miami 0
61’ to 90’: Vancouver 2, Miami 0

In the two first halves of that cup tie, each side scored a lone goal at home. In the second halves, the Whitecaps outscored the Herons 4-0, repeatedly making Miami pay for an inability to play through pressure.

And Mascherano will still look at his options to change the game off the bench and, even if Luis Suarez is among them, suspect his counterpart Jesper Sorensen has the more dangerous game-changing options.

Sorenson was already able to bring international caliber players Ryan Gauld and Jayden Nelson off the bench in last Saturday’s Western Conference Final victory over San Diego. The potential return of Tristan Blackmon (suspension) and Daniel Rios (injury) could mean even a deeper group ready to influence the game toward the back end of the 90 minutes and possibly into extra time.

Home Crowd Nerves?

There’s also the psychological advantage likely to favor the visitors the longer the match progress evenly. Knowledgeable MLS followers know just how good the Whitecaps are, posting an MLS-best +25.7 expected goal difference during the regular season. But this will be a game played in front of Miami partisans who have seen their team outscore their last three postseason opponents by a 13-1 margin, and will expect more of the same. It’s entirely possible Miami delivers on those expectations. If they don’t, though, that expectation will be replaced with nerves, and the home-field advantage could prove more of a home-field burden.

MLS Cup Home Team Record

(Since 2011)

Games decided in 90 minutes: 8-1
Games decided in 120 minutes: 1-0
Games decided in penalties: 2-2

Perhaps that dynamic explains some MLS Cup finals of recent past.

Since the match became a true home-field affair in 2011, the home team has won eight of the nine games that have been decided in 90 minutes. Only the 2015 Portland Timbers disrupted the trend, thanks in no small part to a famous goalkeeping gaffe from the Columbus Crew’s Steve Clark.

In extra time and beyond, it gets far more dicey for the home sides. Only the 2014 LA Galaxy made an extra time winner hold up. The other four matches went to penalties, where visitors prevailed just as often as the hosts.