[[LIVE@STREAM]] U.S. Open Cup final 2023 Live Free Broadcast ON 27 September 2023
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Inter Miami, led by Lionel Messi, faces Houston Dynamo in the U.S. Open Cup final on Wednesday, September 27, 2023 (9/27/23) at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. What channel is Inter Miami vs. Houston Dynamo on today? (9/27/23): FREE LIVE STREAM, time, TV, channel for U.S. Open Cup finals
The silverware is on the line this Wednesday in Fort Lauderdale
Inter Miami are on the precipice of another trophy as Lionel Messi’s arrival has sparked a sharp boost in not only form, but achievements as well.
Here’s what you need to know:
What: U.S. Open Cup finals
Who: Inter Miami vs. Houston Dynamo
When: Wednesday, September 27, 2023
Time: 8:30 p.m.
Where: DRV PNK Stadium
TV: CBS Sports Network and NBC Universo
Lionel Messi’s status remains unclear for Inter Miami’s U.S. Open Cup final match against Houston on Wednesday night.
The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner was subbed out of a match against Toronto on Sept. 20 in the first half because of a leg issue, and did not play in the team’s 1-1 tie at Orlando on Sunday. That was the third match he missed in its entirety two for club, one for country in the last two weeks.
Messi was not on the field for the portion of a training session that was available to reporters on Tuesday. Speaking at a post-practice news conference at the team’s headquarters in Fort Lauderdale, Inter Miami coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino said no decision on Messi’s status will be made before Wednesday.
“It’s a handicap when you don’t have the best player in the world,” Inter Miami midfielder Sergio Busquets said.
The nature of Messi’s leg problem remains unclear. Fatigue was originally cited for Messi’s absences, and Martino eventually said last week that the problem stems from scar tissue from a previous injury. Messi was seen stretching at times during the Sept. 20 match, as if to indicate he was having some sort of muscular issue.
Jordi Alba, another midseason acquisition by Inter Miami, is expected to miss the Cup final because of injury, Martino said. He left the Sept. 20 match against Toronto about three minutes before Messi was subbed out.
The 36-year-old Messi missed Argentina’s World Cup qualifying win at Bolivia on Sept. 12, and Inter Miami’s 5-2 loss at Atlanta United on Sept. 16. He returned for the Sept. 20 match, but didn’t even make it to halftime.
Inter Miami is still very much alive in the race to make Major League Soccer’s playoffs and has three matches looming in the coming days. The team plays host to New York City FC on Saturday, at Chicago on Oct. 4 and returns home to face Cincinnati on Oct. 7.
Martino indicated that any decision on Messi’s availability for those upcoming MLS matches will be made after Wednesday.
The team has lost only once in 15 matches since Messi first appeared for the club, winning nine and tying five. Three of those ties came in tournament play, with Inter Miami winning on penalty kicks all three times two in the Leagues Cup, including the final against Nashville for the Miami club’s first-ever trophy, and another in the U.S. Open Cup semifinals.
Messi who will make somewhere between $125 million and $150 million in salary for Inter Miami over the life of his 2-1/2 year contract has appeared in 12 matches for Miami, most of them in Leagues Cup and U.S. Open Cup competition. He has 11 goals and eight assists, and one goal and two assists in four MLS matches.
Both teams have undergone significant improvements this season as this affair should be a thrilling one. Ben Olsen’s appointment as manager for the Dynamo has ignited the team’s performance, while Miami have undergone a major overhaul.
With the additions of Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba along with Tata Martino taking over as the club’s coach, their improvement this season has been rapid. However, as they head into the final, there is some concerns as to whether Messi will be fully fit to go.
Prior to Messi’s arrival, Inter Miami had not won a trophy in club history, but now they could go two-for-two. However, Messi’s involvement is uncertain, suffering from what the club insists is “fatigue” and doubtful for not just this game but also future MLS matches on the Inter Miami schedule.
The Dynamo, one of the league’s most tenured clubs, won their first U.S. Open Cup — the nation’s oldest competitive athletic team trophy — in 2018 and could become just the sixth club still in existence to win the competition multiple times.
Inter Miami has publicly insisted their goal is to have Lionel Messi fit to start this match, prioritizing the U.S. Open Cup final over the MLS playoff run. Tata Martino indicated that if this was a regular league match, Messi would not be risked, but since it’s a cup final, “we might take that risk”. A report on Tuesday indicated it will be “difficult” for Messi to start, and that he will target simply making himself available off the bench.
Martino indicated in his pre-match press conference that they will “wait until the last minute” to see how Messi feels. Martino did say that Jordi Alba’s participation is unlikely, but they have not ruled him completely out.
Martino has been rotating between tactical setups, sometimes operating with four at the back and sometimes three, so it’s been difficult to predict his starting lineup from game to game. The coach addressed this on Tuesday, noting that the lack of time between matches has been difficult to combat.
The only injuries for Houston Dynamo are long-term issues for Ifunanyachi Achara and Tate Schmitt. Achara has a knee issue that will keep him out for another few weeks, while Schmitt’s torn ACL has him done for the year.
Otherwise, the Dynamo will be at full strength for this final, with international veterans Hector Herrera and Coco Carrasquilla to run the midfield, supporting the attacking spine of Amine Bassi and Corey Baird.
Andrew Tarbell has been charged with goalkeeping duties throughout the U.S. Open Cup fixtures, so it can be expected he will again be deployed over regular No. 1 Steve Clark unless head coach Ben Olsen decides to switch things up.
The transformation at Inter Miami following the arrival of Lionel Messi has been nothing short of remarkable. They have transitioned from a struggling team, striving to secure victories, to clinching the title in the Leagues Cup. Now, they stand on the verge of potentially winning yet another championship.
The Florida team is widely regarded as the favorites to triumph in the 2023 US Open Cup. However, the journey to victory will be far from straightforward. Their opponents will be the Houston Dynamo, a team currently holding the fourth position in the Western Conference, earnestly battling to secure a spot in the playoffs.
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