Charlotte FC chase MLS history against Inter Miami | OneFootball

By Justin Ruderman

Hosting Inter Miami CF and Lionel Messi with the chance to secure an Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs berth? Regular-season games don’t get much bigger than that.

Charlotte FC are in that exact position on Saturday evening – as a win, combined with the New York Red Bulls dropping points at the Portland Timbers, gets the job done (7:30 pm ET | MLS Season Pass).

Even more, Charlotte will look to tie Seattle Sounders FC's 2018 record with a ninth consecutive victory.

“Winning breeds confidence and the boys have gained confidence from it,” head coach Dean Smith said of his side’s eight straight MLS victories.

“It's nine unbeaten, isn't it? Because I think we drew against Orlando. That was our first home game [in the run] and we've just continued that belief.

"We haven't been the better team in every game, but we've been the better team in both boxes.”

Chasing history

Although Smith will be watching from the Bank of America Stadium stands due to suspension (yellow cards), Charlotte have momentum on their side.

They haven't lost a regular-season game in two and a half months, and have come a long way since falling 1-0 at Miami in March.

Perhaps no player embodies that more than DP winger Wilfried Zaha, the club's high-profile winter signing.

“I feel like it was a lot of me just trying to showcase what I can do,” Zaha spoke of his early days with Charlotte. “But instead now it's us as a team, and I just try to do my bit for the team now. That was early on, and obviously, everyone's trying to see what Wilf does. And at the same time, for the team, they’d pass me the ball and watch what I'll do, you know?

"But now it's just like, I'm not just by myself on the pitch. Everyone does their little bit. I feel like this game coming up, that’s a totally different team to the Charlotte team they've faced before.”

Slaying a giant

Charlotte enter the weekend third in the Eastern Conference (50 points) and, coming out of the September international window, are boosted by star midfielder Pep Biel returning from injury.

Inter Miami will be without suspended striker Luis Suárez, but still boast one of the league's most talented rosters.

“We know what Messi can do and we've got to be fully aware of him and fully concentrate to make sure that the magician doesn't pull off some magic tricks against us,” said Smith.

Regardless of the historical implications, the focus remains internal for the hottest team in the league.

“There's no real introduction for Messi. But like I said, the only thing is, I feel like all the talking’s done once the whistle's blown,” explained Zaha.

“That's all that matters. We know what we want," he added. "So I feel like I'm just fixated on what we do on the day. As much as I appreciate Messi … as soon as I'm playing against you, I couldn't care less about all of that stuff. I know what we want to do and we're trying to get the ninth win, so that's what I'm fixated on.”