FC Cincinnati vs Inter Miami Prediction and Betting Tips for the MLS Eastern Conference semifinals, scheduled for Sunday, November 23, 2025, at 22:00 GMT. The game will be broadcast live on MLS Season Pass from the TQL Stadium in Cincinnati. With both sides chasing a spot in the conference final, this one feels like a blockbuster in the making. For more insights across the league, don’t miss our in-depth MLS Predictions from XpertStats tipsters.

• FC Cincinnati host Inter Miami in the MLS Eastern Conference semifinals on Sunday, November 23, 2025.
• Messi’s Miami side have scored in each of their last 11 games.
• Cincinnati are unbeaten in their last eight home matches.
• Expect goals, both sides average over 2.5 total goals per game.

FC Cincinnati arrive buzzing after edging Columbus Crew 2-1 in their playoff series, riding the energy of their fans and that fortress-like TQL Stadium. Pat Noonan’s men finished second in the Eastern standings, boasting 20 wins, most of them by razor-thin margins. They’re not flashy, but they grind. Their average of 1.58 goals scored and 1.05 conceded per match speaks volumes about their balance. Yet, there’s a sense that they could explode if Evander finds space, he’s already got 18 goals and 15 assists this season. Still, can they keep that calm defensive shape against Messi’s chaos? That’s the question.

Evander, Brenner, and Denkey have formed a front line that can strike from nowhere. The Brazilian’s ability to create danger from set pieces has been a huge advantage. Even so, it’s Miles Robinson and goalkeeper Roman Celentano who’ll need to be the heroes if Cincinnati are to stop the Herons’ onslaught. The hosts may be solid, but Miami’s attack is something else, their 3.83 goals-per-game average is the stuff of video games. The last time these two met here, Cincinnati cruised to a 3-0 win. But this is playoff football, anything can flip.

Inter Miami come into this one breathing fire. They smashed seven goals across their legs with Nashville, proving their offensive intent. Since that wild 5-3 loss to Chicago, Javier Mascherano has fine-tuned his lineup, and the response has been electric. Messi, of course, is the centerpiece – five goals and three assists in those Nashville games alone. But he’s not doing it alone. Rodrigo De Paul has stepped up massively, while Tadeo Allende is suddenly scoring for fun. Sure, their defense leaks (1.72 goals conceded on average), but when you’re scoring twice as many, you can live with that risk.

There’s something unpredictable about Miami right now. Maybe it’s desperation, they’ve missed out on every major trophy so far or maybe it’s belief. Either way, they’re dangerous. Yes, Cincinnati’s home advantage is real, but the Herons’ momentum is equally undeniable. It’s hard to say how this ends, but one thing feels certain: goals are coming. For fans and bettors alike, this semifinal could deliver one of the most dramatic nights of the season, the kind that defines MLS Predictions for months to come.