Inter Miami vs New England: Revolution Host Messi's Side in Sunday Night Clash

The New England Revolution host Inter Miami CF at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on Sunday night in a key Eastern Conference fixture. Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m. ET, and the match is the regular-season home finale for the Revolution. A win would let New England lock up the conference's No. 2 seed in the MLS Cup Playoffs.

The game is one of the most closely watched of the final stretch of the season. Inter Miami, the reigning MLS Cup champions, are the league's top scoring side, and both clubs are fighting for playoff position. The match will be streamed live on Apple TV.

Revolution on a winning run

New England come into the match on a four-game winning streak. They beat Red Bull New York 3-2 at home on Wednesday, with Dor Turgeman scoring twice and Dániel Gazdag netting the late winner. Club legend Carles Gil became the eighth player in MLS history with 100 regular-season assists in that game.

The result moved the Revolution to 18 wins, 10 losses and four draws, for 58 points. That places them second in the Eastern Conference and secures home advantage for Round One of the playoffs. Only defensive records elsewhere in the league have been stronger, with New England conceding the third-fewest goals in MLS this season.

Goalkeeper Matt Turner has been central to that defensive form. Turner made 14 saves across the club's two midweek matches, and his 134 career saves are the most of his career and second-most among goalkeepers this season, according to the club's preview. He has six clean sheets this season.

Inter Miami's attacking threat

Inter Miami sit third in the East with 15 wins, six losses and 11 draws, giving them 56 points, two behind New England. Their attack has scored 75 goals in 32 matches, eight more than the next-highest team in the league.

Lionel Messi leads MLS with 25 goals and is on course to retain the Golden Boot, according to the club's preview. Rodrigo De Paul leads the team in assists with 16. The club has been held without a win in its last two matches, after a 2-2 home draw with FC Cincinnati and a defeat to Red Bull New York.

Against Cincinnati, Luis Suárez opened the scoring, and Riquelme Fillipi equalised in the 90th minute to salvage a point. The result left Miami needing a road win to keep the East's No. 2 seed within reach.

Head-to-head and what the coaches said

Inter Miami lead the series 7-3 with one draw in 11 previous meetings, and have won four and drawn one of the last five. The teams drew 1-1 at Nu Stadium earlier this season.

Revolution head coach Marko Mitrović, in his first season in charge, said Inter Miami have been among the league's strongest attacking teams for several years. He said New England would rely on their team effort and treat the match as a chance to keep growing.

Turner said the club has treated recent games as playoff-level contests, and said he expected the fans to be needed in the final stretch. He noted that the midweek match had the lowest attendance of the season.

What's next

A New England win would secure the No. 2 seed and bring the Revolution a step closer to the playoffs in front of their home fans. For Inter Miami, a road victory would keep the East's No. 2 spot within reach and keep their path to a 2027 CONCACAF Champions Cup berth open. Both sides will go into the postseason with the result still to be decided on Sunday night.

Market odds reported by MLSsoccer.com as of Friday, 30 October gave Inter Miami a 43 per cent chance and New England 35 per cent.

Inter Miami have also been seeking to become the first back-to-back MLS Cup champions since the LA Galaxy in the 2011-12 season.