Football Bet of the Day: Nashville to down Messi’s Miami on Decision Day

Major League Soccer enters its final round of fixtures this weekend, with plenty still to play for ahead of the 2025 MLS Cup play-offs. Nashville SC are currently sixth in the Eastern Conference and on course to qualify for round one, but need to beat Inter Miami (third) on Saturday (23:00 BST, Apple TV) to guarantee their place and avoid having to slug it out in a wildcard match.

Saturday's Football Bet of the Day comes from Geodis Park in Nashville, Tennessee, and you can check it out below.

Two wins from the last nine league games (D1, L6) doesn't sound promising for Nashville, but they are unbeaten in their last two, beating the Houston Dynamo 3-1 at home on September 28 before drawing 1-1 with CF Montreal in Canada on October 4.

The Coyotes have been poor away from home this season, picking up just 18 points from 17 matches (W5, D3, L9), but they possess one of the best home records in the MLS.

Only Philadelphia Union (40) and Charlotte (37) have accrued more points at home than B.J. Callaghan's side (36), who have won 11, drawn three, and lost two of their 16 games at Geodis Park.

Nashville SC vs Inter Miami CF Odds

Nashville have won five of their last six MLS home matches, scoring 13 goals and conceding just three.

Saturday's hosts should be highly motivated to win on Decision Day, as failing to do so could see them drop out of the top seven and be forced to contest a wildcard match.

Football Odds

Inter Miami, meanwhile, have already clinched a spot in round one of the play-offs, although they can still fight for a better position in the Eastern Conference to avoid a tougher path to the title.

The Herons are currently third, tied on points with FC Cincinnati but with one fewer win.

Javier Mascherano's side are high on confidence right now, having won five of their last seven games (D1, L1), including their last two, which have both been by big margins. They beat New England Revolution 4-1 in Fort Lauderdale on October 5, and thrashed Atlanta United 4-0 there last Sunday.

Today's Football Fixtures

However, Inter Miami did suffer a 5-3 home defeat to Chicago Fire on October 1, which came four days after a 1-1 draw at Toronto FC. They've only won once in their last five away games (D2, L2), and you wonder just how motivated they will be to win this weekend, despite a higher finish potentially meaning an easier draw in the play-offs.

The good news for Inter Miami supporters is that Lionel Messi and Rodrigo de Paul have trained with their teammates after both started Argentina's 6-0 annihilation of Puerto Rico in midweek, so the Heron's starting XI may not be as weakened as first feared.

However, with both playing the full duration of that friendly at Chase Stadium, will they last the full 90 at Geodis Park? Messi is going for the Golden Boot, but with a two-goal lead over LAFC's Denis Bouanga and a three-goal lead over Nashville's Sam Surridge, you'd think it's already in the bag, especially with LAFC taking a tough trip to Colorado Rapids on Sunday.

Nashville have a poor recent record in this fixture, losing the last three in the MLS, but with so much on the line for them this weekend, I fancy them to collect the three points they so crave.

Nashville to beat Inter Miami is my Football Bet of the Day for Saturday, October 18.

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