FORT LAUDERDALE, FL, July 27 (V7N) — Inter Miami will take on FC Cincinnati on Saturday, July 26, without two of their key players, Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba. Both players are sidelined due to mandatory one-game suspensions after skipping the MLS All-Star Game held earlier this week.
 
The match is a significant showdown between two of Major League Soccer’s top Eastern Conference teams. FC Cincinnati currently leads the MLS Supporters’ Shield standings with 48 points, while Inter Miami holds fifth place with 41 points.
 
Inter Miami has the advantage of three games in hand this season, thanks to a congested match schedule. However, suffering two defeats to Cincinnati within a fortnight could severely impact their ambitions of topping the conference and competing for their second consecutive Supporters’ Shield title. Cincinnati claimed the regular-season trophy in 2023, while Inter Miami secured it in 2024.
 
This game carries high stakes, with both teams battling for supremacy in the Eastern Conference as the MLS season progresses toward its final stretch.
 
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